By Adam Chubbuck, Team Leader, Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty. Retired U.S. Navy Chief. Licensed in Maryland and Virginia.
Every seller asks me the same question early: what do I actually walk away with?
It is a fair question and most online calculators answer it badly. So here is the straight version for Anne Arundel County, with real numbers.
The Taxes You Pay at Settlement
Three separate items, and together they are bigger than most sellers expect.
County transfer tax: 1.0 percent of the sale price. On sales of $1 million or more, that rate goes to 1.5 percent.
State transfer tax: 0.5 percent.
Recordation tax: $7.00 per $1,000, rounded up to the nearest $500.
On a $535,000 sale, which is right around the county median Maryland REALTORS reported for June 2026, that works out to roughly $5,350 in county transfer tax, $2,675 in state transfer tax, and about $3,745 in recordation. Call it $11,770 total.
Here Is the Part Nobody Tells You
Who pays those taxes is set by the contract, not by law.
There are customary defaults, usually a split between buyer and seller. But it is negotiable, and on a median priced home in this county it is nearly twelve thousand dollars of negotiable money.
That makes it one of the most useful levers you have. A buyer who is stretched on cash to close will often trade purchase price for help with closing costs. That lets you protect your headline number while giving them what they actually need.
Most sellers never realize this is on the table. Do not be one of them.
Two Wrinkles Worth Knowing
Selling to a first-time Maryland homebuyer changes your math. Maryland reduces the state transfer tax for qualifying first-time buyers, and the customary allocation shifts so the seller carries more of it. First-time buyers are a big share of this market, so this is not a reason to avoid their offers. It is a reason to have your agent model the net before you accept one.
Selling to a large investor entity now costs more. As of July 1, 2025, the state transfer tax rises from 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent on sales to “real estate enterprises,” defined as entities holding more than 120 properties or more than $12 million statewide. If you get an offer from a big institutional buyer, that number belongs in your comparison.
Everything Else on Your Settlement Statement
Commission. Usually your largest single cost. Fully negotiable, and since the 2024 industry changes, buyer agent compensation is negotiated separately rather than published on the MLS.
Loan payoff. Your remaining balance plus interest through settlement day. Call your servicer for a payoff quote rather than using your last statement.
Prorated property taxes. Anne Arundel County bills July through June. Depending on when you close, you either owe the buyer for months you owned or get credited for months you already paid.
HOA or condo fees. Prorated dues plus any transfer or document fees the association charges. These vary widely and some associations charge more than sellers expect.
Repair credits. Whatever you agree to after the inspection.
Title and settlement fees, and the document prep your attorney or title company charges.
A Simple Example
On a $535,000 sale with a $250,000 loan balance:
- Sale price: $535,000
- Less commission
- Less roughly $11,770 in transfer and recordation, if split per custom your share is roughly half
- Less $250,000 loan payoff
- Less prorated taxes, HOA items, and any repair credits
Your actual number depends on your commission agreement, how the transfer taxes get allocated, and what comes out of the inspection. That is exactly why a real net sheet before you list beats a calculator.
Get the Number Before You List, Not After
The worst version of this conversation is the one that happens three days before settlement, when a seller finds out their proceeds are $9,000 lighter than they planned around.
I run a net sheet for every seller before we list, and again on every offer we receive, because a higher offer is not always the better offer once credits and allocations are in it.
If you want to know what you would actually walk away with, send me your address. I will pull the comps and build you a real net sheet. No obligation, and no assumption that you are selling.
Start with a free Anne Arundel County home valuation or just reach out to Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty.
Quick Answers
How much does it cost to sell a house in Anne Arundel County?
Transfer and recordation taxes run roughly $11,770 on a $535,000 sale, before commission, loan payoff, prorated taxes, and any credits. Your total depends on your commission agreement and how the transfer taxes are allocated in the contract.
Who pays transfer taxes in Anne Arundel County?
It is set by the contract, not by law. Custom is generally a split, but it is negotiable, and on a median priced home that is nearly twelve thousand dollars of negotiable money.
What is the transfer tax rate in Anne Arundel County?
The county rate is 1.0 percent of the sale price, rising to 1.5 percent on sales of $1 million or more. The state adds 0.5 percent. Recordation is $7.00 per $1,000, rounded up to the nearest $500.
Does it cost me more to sell to a first-time buyer?
It can. Maryland reduces the state transfer tax for qualifying first-time Maryland homebuyers and the customary allocation shifts more of it to the seller. Have your agent model it into your net before you accept the offer.
Figures reflect Anne Arundel County and Maryland published rates and Maryland REALTORS Housing Statistics for June 2026. Rates and allocations change. Confirm with your title company and, for tax questions, a CPA.
I am Adam Chubbuck, Team Leader of Team Alpha Charlie of Douglas Realty. Retired U.S. Navy Chief, licensed in Maryland and Virginia, and I have closed more than 350 homes over the past five years across the Baltimore to Annapolis corridor. I also run Enclave Property Management out of Pasadena, Maryland.
443-347-6692 | [email protected] | TACMD.com
Smile more,
Adam Chubbuck
