New Hanover County
House flipping in Wilmington, NC: transfer taxes, property tax and a flip calculator
Every flip in Wilmington pays deed and transfer taxes twice: once when you buy and once when you sell. In New Hanover County they add up to about 0.2% of the price. Here is what each one is, who usually pays it, how property tax works for investors, and a calculator to run your deal.
Projected net profit
$48,236
16.1% margin on ARV over 6 months
Cash needed
$41,464
Return on cash
116%
Max offer
$171,000
$30k profit, 12% margin
70% rule
$160,500
70% of ARV minus rehab with 10% contingency
Where every dollar goes
- Purchase
- $160,000
- Rehab with contingency
- $49,500
- Buy closing costs
- $2,641
- Loan points and fees
- $5,880
- Loan interest
- $9,364
- Taxes, insurance, utilities
- $3,080
- Selling costs
- $21,300
- Total cost
- $251,764
- Break-even ARV
- $248,049
Planning defaults: hard money 11%, 2 points, $1,500 fees, 90% of price and 100% of rehab, interest on drawn funds; 5.5% commission and 1% concessions; state closing and transfer taxes. Not a quote.
Comps, rehab, refi and a verdict for a real address. Your numbers come with you.
Transfer and recording taxes in Wilmington
| Level | What it is |
|---|---|
| State | North Carolina excise tax on conveyances (revenue stamps): $1 per $500 of consideration or value ($2 per $1,000, 0.2%). Paid by the transferor (grantor/seller). G.S. 105-228.30. Instruments securing debt are exempt, so no NC loan recording tax. (source) |
Who pays: seller by statute. North Carolina is an attorney-closing state: a licensed attorney handles the closing (source).
What it costs on a typical flip
- Buy at $200,000: deed and transfer taxes
- $400
- Sell at $300,000: deed and transfer taxes
- $600
This adds every cited rate on each side, buyer and seller, so you see the full cost of the round trip. Who actually pays each piece depends on custom and your contract. Recording fees and title insurance are extra.
Property tax in Wilmington for investors
New Hanover County's 2025 revaluation raised residential values 67% on average since 2021. (source)
For a flip, property tax is part of carrying cost every month you own the house. For a rental, budget the bill the county will send after you buy, not the seller's bill.
Run the numbers
The calculator above uses North Carolina closing cost defaults. Change the price, rehab and ARV to your deal.
Questions
How much is the transfer tax in Wilmington?
The cited deed and transfer taxes total about 0.2% of the price in New Hanover County. On a $300,000 sale that is about $600. Who pays: seller by statute.
Is Wilmington a good place to flip houses?
It depends on the deal, not the city. Buy at a price that leaves room for every cost: closing and transfer taxes on both ends, loan points and interest, carry, commission and concessions. Run the numbers on each house.
Facts checked 2026-10-10 against the linked official sources. Tax rates and fees change; confirm them with your closing attorney, title company or the locality. Not legal, tax or lending advice.
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