State guide

Buying or Selling a Home in Connecticut: What You Need to Know

Connecticut is a strongly regulated, attorney-closing real estate market with some of the broadest consumer protections in the country.

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TL;DR

Connecticut is a strongly regulated, attorney-closing real estate market with some of the broadest consumer protections in the country. Sellers must hand buyers a written property condition disclosure and pay a graduated state conveyance tax that climbs to 2.25% on the priciest homes, while buyers must now sign a written representation agreement before touring any property. Whether you are buying or selling, expect formal paperwork at every step and budget for an attorney on each side of the deal.

9 things every Connecticut buyer or seller should know

  • Connecticut is an 'attorney closing' state. Under C.G.S. §51-88, only a licensed Connecticut attorney can examine title, draft deed paperwork, and run the actual closing. Most buyers and sellers each hire their own attorney to review documents and protect their interests, so plan to budget for legal fees as part of your closing costs.

  • If you are selling a home in Connecticut, state law (C.G.S. §20-327b) requires you to fill out a written Residential Property Condition Disclosure Report and give it to the buyer before they sign the purchase contract. The form covers what you actually know about the roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical, heating, well, septic, and any environmental issues. You do not have to investigate anything you do not already know, but lying on the form can be treated as fraud.

  • Since August 17, 2024, after the NAR settlement and Connecticut MLS rule changes, buyers must sign a written buyer representation agreement before touring any home with an agent. The agreement has to spell out the agent's pay as a specific dollar amount or a specific percentage of the purchase price, not 'whatever the seller offers.' This rule covers in-person tours and virtual tours, so expect to sign before you ever step inside a property.

  • In Connecticut, the seller pays a state real estate conveyance tax plus a smaller municipal conveyance tax to the town. Under C.G.S. §12-494 the state rate is 0.75% on the first $800,000, 1.25% on the portion from $800,001 to $2,500,000, and 2.25% on anything above $2,500,000 (the so-called 'mansion tax'). On a $1,000,000 sale that is $8,500 in state tax alone, plus the town's share, all due at closing.

  • Connecticut's Discriminatory Practices Act (C.G.S. §46a-60 and §46a-64c) protects far more groups than federal fair housing law. On top of the federal classes of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability, Connecticut adds sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age (18+), ancestry, lawful source of income such as Section 8 vouchers, and mental disability. Landlords, sellers, and agents cannot treat you differently because of any of these.

  • If a Connecticut home was built before 1978, federal law and C.G.S. §47a-7a require the seller to disclose any known lead-based paint and to give the buyer the EPA pamphlet 'Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home.' Buyers usually get a 10-day window to test for lead before going firm on the purchase. Connecticut adds extra notification rules on top of the federal baseline, so do not skip this step.

  • Connecticut allows 'dual agency,' where the same agent represents both the buyer and the seller, but only with written informed consent from both sides under C.G.S. §20-325d. A dual agent cannot share confidential pricing strategy with either party, including the seller's lowest acceptable price or the buyer's highest offer. If that trade-off feels uncomfortable, you can ask for 'designated agency,' where two different agents inside the same brokerage each represent one side fully.

  • Many older Connecticut homes still heat with oil stored in underground or above-ground tanks. The state's Residential Property Condition Disclosure Report (C.G.S. §20-327b) requires sellers to disclose any known storage tank on the property, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) regulates them under C.G.S. §22a-449. A leaking or abandoned tank can mean tens of thousands of dollars in cleanup costs, so this is a disclosure to take seriously.

  • If you are buying a Connecticut condo, co-op, or planned community unit created on or after January 1, 1984, the Common Interest Ownership Act (C.G.S. Chapter 828) entitles you to a Public Offering Statement before signing a purchase contract. The packet includes the declaration, bylaws, rules, recent budget, and financial statements of the association. For older condos created before 1984, the Connecticut Condominium Act (Chapter 825) requires a similar disclosure package, so ask which law applies.

The guides

Common questions

Do I need a lawyer to close on a house in Connecticut?
Yes. Connecticut is one of the few states that requires a licensed attorney to handle the closing, including title review and drafting the deed, under C.G.S. §51-88. Most buyers hire their own attorney and most sellers hire theirs, since each lawyer protects only that party's interests. Plan on roughly $1,000 to $2,000 in legal fees as part of your closing costs, though the exact amount varies by transaction.
What do I have to tell the buyer about my house when I sell it in Connecticut?
Connecticut sellers must complete the Residential Property Condition Disclosure Report under C.G.S. §20-327b before the buyer signs a purchase contract. The form asks about dozens of things you personally know, including roof leaks, foundation issues, well or septic problems, prior flooding, environmental hazards, underground oil tanks, and boundary disputes. You are not required to hire an inspector to find new problems, but knowingly lying on the form can expose you to fraud claims later.
Do I have to sign a contract with an agent before they will show me homes?
Yes. If you want to tour homes with an agent in Connecticut, you will be asked to sign a written buyer representation agreement first. This comes from the August 2024 NAR settlement and Connecticut MLS rule changes, and it applies even to a single virtual tour. The agreement must state the agent's pay as a specific dollar amount or a specific percentage of the purchase price, not 'whatever the seller pays.'
How much will Connecticut's conveyance tax cost me as a seller?
The state conveyance tax under C.G.S. §12-494 is paid by the seller and is graduated: 0.75% on the first $800,000 of the sale price, 1.25% on the portion from $800,001 to $2,500,000, and 2.25% on anything over $2,500,000. On top of that, your town charges its own municipal conveyance tax, usually 0.25%, though some 'targeted' towns charge more. On a $700,000 sale you would owe $5,250 in state tax plus the town's share, all due at closing.
Can the same agent represent both me and the other side of the deal?
Yes, Connecticut allows dual agency under C.G.S. §20-325d, but only if both the buyer and the seller give written informed consent. A dual agent owes reduced loyalty to each side and cannot share your bottom-line price or negotiation strategy with the other party. If a single brokerage represents both sides of a deal, you can also ask for 'designated agency,' which assigns each side a different agent inside that firm who owes you full loyalty.
Does Connecticut have stronger fair housing rules than federal law?
Yes. The Connecticut Discriminatory Practices Act (C.G.S. §46a-60 and §46a-64c) goes well beyond the federal Fair Housing Act. Connecticut also bans housing discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age (18+), ancestry, lawful source of income such as Section 8 vouchers, and mental disability. Complaints are handled by the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO).
What paperwork should I get before buying a Connecticut condo?
Connecticut's Common Interest Ownership Act (C.G.S. Chapter 828) entitles you to a Public Offering Statement before signing a purchase contract for any condo, co-op, or planned community unit created on or after January 1, 1984. The packet covers the declaration, bylaws, rules, recent budget, financial statements, and any pending lawsuits affecting the association. For older condos created before 1984, the Connecticut Condominium Act (Chapter 825) requires a similar disclosure package, so confirm with your attorney which law applies to the unit.
What is Connecticut's 'mansion tax' and when does it kick in?
The 'mansion tax' is the top tier of Connecticut's state real estate conveyance tax under C.G.S. §12-494. On the portion of a residential sale price above $2,500,000, the state tax jumps to 2.25%, on top of 0.75% on the first $800,000 and 1.25% on the slice from $800,001 to $2,500,000. So on a $3,000,000 sale, the state conveyance tax totals roughly $38,500, and the town's municipal conveyance tax is charged on top of that.

Glossary

2 terms
NAR — National Association of Realtors
The national trade group for real-estate agents. The 2024 NAR settlement is the legal deal that changed how buyer's agents get paid.
MLS — Multiple Listing Service
The shared database agents use to list and find homes for sale. Most homes you'll see online started here.