Closing on a home in Missouri
The taxes, the closing rules, and the programs Missouri buyers and sellers are entitled to — whether anyone at the table mentions them or not.
The Missouri basics
NO transfer tax — Missouri's constitution (amended by voters in 2010) PROHIBITS any tax on the sale or transfer of homes. Recording fees only.
Title companies close most Missouri transactions; no attorney requirement. You may choose your provider.
Missouri Housing Development Commission's First Place program offers statewide down payment assistance for eligible first-time buyers.
What to watch for in Missouri
Missouri voters constitutionally banned transfer taxes — so any 'transfer tax' line on a Missouri settlement statement is an error or worse. Recording fees are flat and modest; question anything above that.
Missouri property taxes are paid in arrears with proration at closing; in fast-growing counties, confirm the proration uses the current assessed value.
Questions Missouri buyers ask
Is there a transfer tax when buying a home in Missouri?
NO transfer tax — Missouri's constitution (amended by voters in 2010) PROHIBITS any tax on the sale or transfer of homes. Recording fees only.
Do I need an attorney to close on a house in Missouri?
Title companies close most Missouri transactions; no attorney requirement. You may choose your provider.
What down payment assistance is available in Missouri?
Missouri Housing Development Commission's First Place program offers statewide down payment assistance for eligible first-time buyers.
Worth reading before any closing
- The Rate Lock Trap: What Homebuilders Won't Tell You About New Construction
If your new construction home isn't finished before your mortgage rate lock expires, you could lose your deposit AND face a payment jump of $500 or more per month. Here is what you need to know before you sign.
- That $100-a-Month Savings on Your Mortgage May Be Sitting in Your Credit File Right Now
VantageScore 4.0 is now live for conventional loans — here's how to find out if your lender is hiding a lower rate from you.
- Your Right to Negotiate Real Estate Commissions Just Became Real. Here's How to Use It.
The NAR settlement that took effect August 17, 2024 gave home buyers and sellers something they always had on paper but rarely used: real power to negotiate agent commissions. Here's what changed, what it means for your closing, and exactly how to use it.
- Deed Theft Is Spiking. Here's What Could Disappear From Your Closing If You're Not Watching.
Complaints jumped 240% in two years. A new NYC office is fighting back. Here's how to protect your title before someone steals your house out from under you.
- Your FHA Pre-Approval Just Jumped $17,000
FHA loan limits for 2026 are now $541,288 baseline — up $17,000 from 2025. Here's what that means for your buying power and what to do before you lock your rate.
- Wire Fraud Is Hitting 1 in 20 Home Closings. Most Buyers Have No Idea They Are the Target.
Criminals now steal $70,000 or more per incident using AI and spoofed emails. Here is the one rule that stops almost every scheme.