District of Columbia payment tool · West Capital Lending, Inc.
District of Columbia Mortgage Payment Estimator
Estimate the full monthly payment on a home in the District of Columbia — principal, interest, property taxes, and insurance — before you fall in love with a listing.
The District does closing costs its own way: two separate taxes change hands at every sale, and two District programs can cut them significantly for buyers who qualify. Adam DeCraene (NMLS# 2811542), Mortgage Loan Originator with West Capital Lending, Inc., is licensed in the District of Columbia and built this estimator for DC buyers — the monthly math up top, and the District's tax quirks explained below.
Run your numbers
Estimate a District of Columbia Monthly Payment
Enter a home price, your down payment, and a rate you want to test — then add the property taxes and insurance for the specific home you're looking at. The rate is a modeling assumption you control; it is not a rate quote.
Your District of Columbia scenario
Estimated total monthly payment
$4,190/moPrincipal & interest, plus estimated taxes and insurance, on a $560,000 loan.
Payment breakdown
How the monthly estimate is built
- Loan amount (price − down payment)
- $560,000
- Principal & interest
- $3,540/mo
- Property taxes (est., ÷ 12)
- $450/mo
- Homeowner's insurance (est., ÷ 12)
- $200/mo
- Estimated total monthly payment
- $4,190/mo
Estimates only. This estimator is an educational estimate — not a rate quote, an offer of credit, a pre-approval, a commitment to lend, or tax or financial advice. The rate, taxes, and insurance shown are numbers you enter as modeling assumptions. The estimate excludes mortgage insurance (PMI/MIP), HOA or condo dues, and other costs that may apply to your loan. The calculator runs entirely in your browser and no personal information is collected. For exact numbers on your situation, talk to Adam DeCraene, Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS# 2811542 — call or text 949-393-6360.
District of Columbia tax basics
How DC's Closing Taxes Work — and Two Ways to Pay Less
General educational information about the District's transfer and recordation taxes — not tax advice. Taxes and eligibility vary by transaction, so verify your situation with the DC Office of Tax and Revenue.
Two taxes when a home changes hands
The District of Columbia charges two separate taxes every time a home changes hands. The seller pays the transfer tax, and the buyer pays the recordation tax, which is charged when the deed is recorded.
That split surprises buyers moving from states with a single deed tax: in DC, the recordation tax is a real line item in the buyer's closing costs, on top of the down payment — budget for it from the start.
Two rate tiers, applied to the whole price
| Sale price | Each tax | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Under $400,000 | 1.1% | 2.2% |
| $400,000 and above | 1.45% | 2.9% |
Each tax — transfer and recordation alike — is 1.1% of the sale price for homes under $400,000 and 1.45% for homes at $400,000 and above. The tier rate applies to the whole sale price, not just the amount above the threshold, so crossing $400,000 steps the tax on every dollar up at once.
First-time District homebuyers: 0.725% recordation
Qualifying first-time District homebuyers can get a reduced recordation tax rate of 0.725% — half the standard rate on a home at $400,000 or above. On a $700,000 purchase, that's $5,075 instead of $10,150.
The catch is timing: you apply with Form ROD 11 at the time the deed is offered for recordation. The reduction cannot be claimed after recording — it has to be in place at closing, so flag it with your lender and settlement company early.
The Lower Income Homeownership Exemption
Separately, the District's Lower Income Homeownership Exemption (the DC tax abatement) goes much further for qualifying buyers. It can eliminate the buyer's recordation tax entirely, credit the seller's transfer tax to the buyer, and abate real property taxes through the fifth tax year after the purchase year.
For FY2027 (from October 1, 2026), the program's sale price cap is $591,200. Household income limits also apply and are reset each October 1 by the DC Office of Tax and Revenue — so check the current limits and your eligibility with the Office of Tax and Revenue rather than relying on a figure from a prior year.
Worked example
A $700,000 District of Columbia Purchase, Broken Down
The estimator above, run on its example scenario. The 6.5% rate is an example assumption used for illustration — not a rate quote — and the tax and insurance figures are example amounts to replace with the real ones for any specific home.
The purchase
Example inputs
- Home price
- $700,000
- Down payment (20%)
- $140,000
- Loan amount
- $560,000
- Rate tested (example assumption)
- 6.5%
- Term
- 30 years
- Estimated annual property taxes
- $5,400/yr
- Estimated annual homeowner's insurance
- $2,400/yr
The monthly payment
What the estimator shows for this scenario
- Principal & interest
- $3,540/mo
- Property taxes ($5,400 ÷ 12)
- $450/mo
- Homeowner's insurance ($2,400 ÷ 12)
- $200/mo
- Estimated total monthly payment
- $4,190/mo
And at closing: at $700,000 the price sits in the 1.45% tier, so the buyer's recordation tax is $10,150 (1.45% × $700,000) and the seller's transfer tax is another $10,150 — $20,300 combined. A qualifying first-time District homebuyer using the reduced 0.725% recordation rate would pay $5,075 instead, saving $5,075 at the closing table.
Local lending
Buying Anywhere in the District
Adam DeCraene is licensed in the District of Columbia and works with buyers across all of the District's neighborhoods — from Georgetown, Capitol Hill, and Dupont Circle to U Street, Navy Yard, Petworth, and Anacostia. Rowhouses, condos, and co-ops each come with their own wrinkles, and DC's closing taxes work the same way in every ward — which is why the recordation tax and the District's two buyer programs above are worth understanding before you write an offer, not at the closing table.
Relocating to or from the capital region? Adam is licensed in 34 states and the District of Columbia — including Maryland and Virginia — so he can help with the DC purchase and the move on either side of it.
First-time buyers: start with the District's own breaks — the reduced 0.725% recordation rate for qualifying first-time District homebuyers and the Lower Income Homeownership Exemption — then ask Adam to check the current options across 175 wholesale lenders for your specific situation.
Common questions
District of Columbia Mortgage & Tax FAQs
What taxes does the District of Columbia charge when a home changes hands?
DC charges two taxes when a home changes hands. The seller pays the transfer tax, and the buyer pays the recordation tax, which is charged when the deed is recorded. Each tax is 1.1% of the sale price for homes under $400,000 and 1.45% for homes at $400,000 and above — and the rate applies to the whole sale price, not just the amount above the threshold. Combined, the two taxes total 2.2% of the price under $400,000 and 2.9% at $400,000 and above, before any exemptions or reductions. Taxes and eligibility can vary by transaction, so verify your situation with the DC Office of Tax and Revenue.
Can first-time homebuyers in DC get a lower recordation tax?
Yes. Qualifying first-time District homebuyers can get a reduced recordation tax rate of 0.725% instead of the standard 1.1% or 1.45%. You apply using Form ROD 11 at the time the deed is offered for recordation — the reduction cannot be claimed after the deed has been recorded, so it has to be handled at closing, not after. Eligibility rules apply, so confirm you qualify before closing and verify the current requirements with the DC Office of Tax and Revenue.
What is the Lower Income Homeownership Exemption in DC?
The Lower Income Homeownership Exemption — often called the DC tax abatement — is a District program for qualifying lower-income buyers. It can eliminate the buyer's recordation tax entirely, credit the seller's transfer tax to the buyer, and abate real property taxes through the fifth tax year after the purchase year. For FY2027 (beginning October 1, 2026), the sale price cap is $591,200. Household income limits also apply, and the DC Office of Tax and Revenue resets them each October 1 — so check the current limits and your eligibility with the Office of Tax and Revenue rather than relying on a figure from a prior year.
How do DC property taxes fit into a monthly mortgage payment?
If your loan has an escrow account, your lender or servicer collects one-twelfth of your estimated annual property taxes with each monthly payment and pays the tax bill from escrow when it comes due — so property taxes show up as a monthly line in your payment even though the District bills them on its own schedule. That is why the estimator on this page asks for an annual tax figure and divides it by 12. Your actual bill depends on the specific property, and District programs such as the Lower Income Homeownership Exemption can change it, so confirm the taxes on any home you are considering.
How much down payment do I need to buy a home in the District of Columbia?
It depends on the loan program, not the District. As typical guidelines that vary by lender and borrower profile: conventional loans can start as low as 3% down for qualified buyers, FHA loans at 3.5% down, and VA loans at 0% down for eligible veterans and service members. Larger down payments lower the loan amount and the monthly payment, and putting 20% down on a conventional loan avoids private mortgage insurance. Keep in mind that DC closing costs also include the buyer's recordation tax, so budget for more than the down payment alone. Adam DeCraene shops 175 wholesale lenders and can check which programs you qualify for.
Work With Adam
Adam DeCraene — Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS# 2811542, CA DRE #02448241 — with West Capital Lending, Inc., licensed in the District of Columbia. Run your numbers above, then get the real figures for the specific DC home you're considering — with access to 175 wholesale lenders behind the search.