However, you can still use transfer taxes to your advantage and help reduce your tax exposure down the road when it comes to capital gains tax. Unfortunately, no matter what state you live in, you cannot deduct transfer taxes as they are essentially a transaction fee to legally transfer the title of a property from one party to another. Hawaii's transfer tax scale goes all the way up to homes purchased at $10,000,000 or more where you'll pay $1 per $100 of the purchase price with a Homeowner's Exemption and $1.25 per $100 of the purchase price if the buyer does not qualify for an exemption. However, if the buyer doesn't qualify for a Homeowner's Exemption, with a home sold at less than $600,000, you'll be subject to pay a transfer tax rate of $0.15 per $100 of the purchase price. If you meet these criteria, you could save thousands on transfer taxes down the road.įor instance, since Hawaii's transfer taxes are applied on a sliding scale based on the purchase price of the home, at the low end of the spectrum, with a home less than $600,000, you'll pay $0.10 per $100 of the purchase price if the buyer qualifies for a Homeowner's Exemption. In order to get this tax break, you must own and occupy the property as your primary home, meaning you must live there for 270 days out of the year.Īdditionally, you also must record your home ownership at the Bureau of Conveyances, State Department of Land and Natural Resources, in Honolulu, as well as file a claim form for the Homeowner's Exemption. So how do you qualify for a Homeowner's Exemption? With the Homeowner's Exemption, it rewards those who choose to make Hawaii their principal home helping to grow and contribute to the state's economy. Of course, because Hawaii is an incredible vacation hotspot, many who sell or purchase homes may simply only be there for a few months out of the year and then hop back to the continental U.S. This home exemption was initially created to help provide some tax relief and to also encourage residents to settle down in Hawaii. Home ValueĪ Homeowner's Exemption essentially means that you are claiming a piece of property as your primary residence. How much you pay will depend on the purchase price of the home as well as if the buyer qualifies for a Homeowner's Exemption. How Much Are Transfer Taxes in Hawaii?Ĭompared to other states, Hawaii's transfer taxes are a little more involved. The seller should also be aware that in Hawaii, they need to pay any transfer taxes no later than 90 days after closing on the home, otherwise penalties and interest will be imposed on the transfer tax hiking up your costs even more. In Hawaii, however, the transfer tax is taken out of the profit made from the house's sale, meaning the seller is the one responsible for paying any transfer taxes at closing. In some instances, the buyer and seller will split transfer taxes evenly and in other situations either the buyer or seller will cover the costs. The one held accountable for paying transfer taxes also varies by state. Who Pays Transfer Taxes in Hawaii: the Buyer or the Seller? And in Hawaii especially, there are some unusual rules and special circumstances that surround transfer taxes.īut if you work with a skillful real estate agent, you'll be able to easily maneuver Hawaii's tax laws and perhaps even save some money. The process of buying or selling your home can be expensive enough, you don't want to be blindsided by extra costs at closing. Rules surrounding transfer taxes can differ from a state, regional, and local level, so it's imperative that whether you're selling or buying a home, you work with an experienced and local real estate agent who can help you navigate the transfer tax laws in your area. So depending on where you live, you could encounter drastically high transfer tax rates or even in some areas, pay nothing at all. The transfer tax is calculated from a percentage of the final sale of the home and can vary widely from state to state. Transfer taxes, also known as a deed tax, mortgage registry tax, stamp tax, or conveyance tax, is the tax imposed by the city, county, or state whenever a piece of property is bought or sold.
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