Utah real estate: buy or sell with a local AXEN agent
Utah has no transfer tax, taxes your main home on only 55% of its value, and runs every sale on one state-approved contract with a due diligence deadline you can walk away before. Here is what is the same everywhere in Utah, and where to search homes.
Utah: search homes by city
Tap a city to see the newest homes for sale there.
What every Utah buyer and seller should know
There is no transfer tax
Utah does not charge a state, county or city real estate transfer tax. You pay county recording fees to record the deed and loan, and escrow and title fees, but no tax just for the sale.
Offers are written on one state-approved contract
Licensed agents in Utah write offers on the state-approved Real Estate Purchase Contract, known as the REPC. It sets the deadlines that run the whole deal: seller disclosures, due diligence, financing and appraisal, and settlement.
The seller's disclosures come by a set deadline
Utah law does not have one disclosure statute like some states. Instead, the REPC makes the seller deliver their disclosures, including the property condition disclosure and the title commitment, by the Seller Disclosure Deadline written into your contract. Put that date on your calendar.
You can walk away before the due diligence deadline
On the REPC, you can cancel for any reason by giving written notice before the Due Diligence Deadline, and get your earnest money back. After that deadline passes, backing out gets much harder. This is when to inspect, check HOA documents and review the disclosures.
The seller buys the owner's title policy
On the standard REPC, the seller pays for the buyer's standard owner's title insurance policy. Each side pays its own fees charged by the escrow or title company, unless you agree in writing to split them differently.
Your main home is taxed on 55% of its value
Utah exempts 45% of the fair market value of a primary residence from property tax (Utah Code 59-2-103). To count, the home has to be someone's primary residence for at least 183 consecutive days in the year. Some counties ask you to sign a residential property declaration.
HOA transfer fees are capped
Many Utah HOAs charge a 'reinvestment fee' when a home sells. For covenants recorded since March 16, 2010, that fee cannot be more than 0.5% of the home's value, except in certain large master-planned developments (Utah Code 57-1-46). Ask who pays it before you sign.
Sale prices are not public record
Utah does not require the sale price to be recorded or made public with the deed. That is why online price estimates can be less reliable here, and why a local agent with access to the MLS matters when you price a home or write an offer.
Closing costs in Utah: who pays what
Who pays what in Utah. There is no transfer tax. Title insurance and escrow fees follow the state-approved REPC unless you agree otherwise.
| Buyer pays | How it works |
|---|---|
| Your own escrow fee | Each side pays its own under the REPC. |
| Lender's title policy | Only if you have a loan. Based on the loan amount. |
| Recording fees | County recorder fees for the deed and loan. |
| Home inspection | A flat fee. Do it before the Due Diligence Deadline. |
| HOA reinvestment fee | If the contract makes it yours. Capped at 0.5% of value for most HOAs. |
| Prepaid taxes and insurance | Set by your lender and the tax calendar. |
| Tax proration | Your share of the year's property taxes. |
| Your own lawyer | Optional. |
| Seller pays | How it works |
|---|---|
| Transfer tax | None. Utah does not have one. |
| Standard owner's title policy | The seller pays it under the REPC. |
| Your own escrow fee | Each side pays its own under the REPC. |
| Mortgage payoff and reconveyance | Your lender's payoff plus the fee to clear the old loan. |
| HOA reinvestment fee | If the contract makes it yours. |
| Listing agent's commission | Set in your listing agreement. Always negotiable. |
| Tax proration | Your share of taxes for the time you owned the home. |
| Repairs you agree to | Only what you agree to in writing. |
Fees change. Utah has no transfer tax, and each county sets its recording fees. The REPC's cost terms can be changed in writing. Confirm current numbers with your title company.
How a Utah home purchase runs
The order most Utah purchases follow. The REPC sets the exact deadlines, so keep a calendar.
Get pre-approved →-
Get pre-approved. Know your budget and payment before you tour.
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Sign the REPC. Your earnest money goes to the brokerage or title company.
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Get the seller's disclosures. They are due by the Seller Disclosure Deadline.
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Do your due diligence. Inspect, read HOA documents and check the disclosures.
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Decide before the deadline. Cancel in writing before the Due Diligence Deadline if it is not right.
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Appraisal and loan approval. The lender orders the appraisal and finishes underwriting.
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Title work. The title company clears liens and prepares the policy.
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Final walk-through. Check the home is in the condition you agreed to.
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Settle and record. Sign with the title company and the deed is recorded with the county.
Utah by region
Utah markets run along the Wasatch Front and down to the red rock country in the south. Tap a city to see the newest homes for sale there.
Salt Lake County
The state capital and its suburbs down the valley.
Southern Utah and the mountains
St. George in the south, and the ski town of Park City.
AXEN Realty in Utah
Every AXEN agent in Utah works under a licensed managing broker: Wendy Anderson (AXEN Realty, LLC, firm license 14255765-CN00). See every state on the state brokers page.
Buying? Start with the home buying guide and get pre-approved.
Selling? Read the home selling guide and get your home value.
Moving here? Read buying in a new state.
Utah real estate questions
Is there a transfer tax in Utah?
No. Utah has no state, county or city transfer tax. You pay recording fees and your title and escrow fees.
Can I back out of a Utah purchase contract?
On the state-approved REPC, yes, for any reason, if you give written notice before the Due Diligence Deadline. Your earnest money comes back. After that deadline it gets much harder.
When does the seller give me their disclosures?
By the Seller Disclosure Deadline written into your REPC. That includes the property condition disclosure and the title commitment. Read them before your Due Diligence Deadline.
Do I need a lawyer to buy or sell a home in Utah?
State law does not require one. Title and escrow companies close most sales. You can hire a lawyer any time, and it helps for estates, water rights or unusual titles.
Who pays for title insurance and escrow?
On the standard REPC, the seller pays for the buyer's standard owner's title policy. Each side pays its own escrow fees unless you agree otherwise in writing.
How does Utah's primary residential exemption work?
Your main home is taxed on 55% of its fair market value, because 45% is exempt. It has to be a primary residence for at least 183 consecutive days in the year. Some counties ask for a signed declaration.
What is an HOA reinvestment fee?
A fee some Utah HOAs charge when a home sells. For most covenants recorded since March 16, 2010, it is capped at 0.5% of the home's value. The contract says who pays it.
Why are Utah home prices hard to look up?
Utah does not make sale prices public with the deed. Recent sale prices mostly live in the MLS, so a local agent's comparable sales matter more here than online estimates.