Buying a home in West Virginia

West Virginia's effective property-tax rate is about 0.483%of a home's value per year, lower than the U.S. average of 0.888%. On a $500,000 home that's roughly $2,415 a year.

Full West Virginia property-tax guide →

West Virginia involves an attorney at closing, and Transfer taxes vary in WV — confirm locally. On a $400,000 home, estimated closing costs run about $8,172–$12,272 on top of your down payment.

Full West Virginia closing-costs guide →

West Virginia runs a housing finance agency with first-time-buyer help: down-payment assistance, below-market first mortgages, and mortgage tax credits.

See first-time buyer programs in West Virginia →

What you can afford depends on your income, debts, and down payment, not just the home price. West Virginia's property taxes above feed straight into the monthly payment lenders measure against your income.

Enter your numbers once and see your real affordability range, debt-to-income, and rent-vs-buy break-even for West Virginia:

Home Buying Steps walks you through the whole process, from checking if you're ready to getting pre-approved to closing day, one clear step at a time, tailored to West Virginia where the rules differ.

• 1. Are you ready? — budget, credit, rent vs. buy
• 2. Get your finances in order — pre-approval
• 5. Making an offer — earnest money & contingencies
• 10. Closing day — every cost, line by line