State guide

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

Nevada real estate is governed by state licensing law (NRS 645), the Real Property Disclosure Form under NRS 113.130, and post-NAR-settlement buyer-agency rules that took effect in August 2024.

Are you buying or selling?

TL;DR

Nevada real estate is governed by state licensing law (NRS 645), the Real Property Disclosure Form under NRS 113.130, and post-NAR-settlement buyer-agency rules that took effect in August 2024. Closings happen through licensed escrow agents under NRS 645A rather than through attorneys, and special disclosures apply to HOA-governed homes, rural water rights, and former meth-contaminated properties. Whether you are a first-time buyer in Las Vegas or selling a condo in Reno, the same state framework — written buyer agreements, the Duties Owed form, Consent to Act, and the seller disclosure — applies to every residential deal.

10 things every Nevada buyer or seller should know

  • When you sell a home in Nevada, NRS 113.130 requires you to fill out a Seller's Real Property Disclosure Form telling the buyer about the roof, foundation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, water systems, past flooding, HOA fees, and any known hazardous materials — to the best of your actual knowledge.

  • Home closings in Nevada are handled by licensed escrow agents under NRS 645A, not by attorneys like in some East Coast states. The escrow company is a neutral third party that holds the earnest money, collects all signed documents, and disburses funds at closing.

  • Before a Nevada agent can show you a home, they must have a signed buyer representation agreement with you — this is a requirement from the August 2024 NAR settlement, and Nevada MLS rules enforce it. The agreement must spell out exactly what your agent will be paid, state that the amount is negotiable, and be signed before your first property tour.

  • If you are selling a condo, townhome, or any home inside a common-interest community (HOA) in Nevada, NRS 116.4109 requires you to give the buyer a 'resale package' from the association — covering the declaration, bylaws, rules, most recent financials, current and special assessments, any pending litigation, and the master insurance summary — before the sale closes.

  • Nevada allows 'dual agency' (one agent or brokerage representing both buyer and seller in the same deal) under NRS 645.252, but only after every party signs the state's 'Consent to Act' form in writing. Without a signed Consent to Act on file, the arrangement is a disciplinable violation regardless of how the agent describes it informally.

  • Every Nevada real estate licensee must give you the state's 'Duties Owed by a Nevada Real Estate Licensee' disclosure form at the first substantive conversation about a transaction. The form (NRS 645.252–253) explains the duties the agent owes to everyone in the deal — honesty, disclosure of known material problems — versus the higher duties of loyalty and confidentiality owed only to the agent's own client.

  • Nevada charges a Real Property Transfer Tax at closing under NRS 375. The base state rate is $1.95 per $500 of the sale price, but Clark County (Las Vegas) and Washoe County (Reno) add surcharges that push the effective combined rate to roughly $2.55–$5.10 per $500. It is typically paid by the seller out of closing proceeds.

  • Nevada law (NRS 477.140) treats former methamphetamine production sites as contaminated property. Sellers must disclose any known meth-lab history or remediation on the Real Property Disclosure Form, and hiding it exposes the seller to civil liability and the agent to discipline by the Nevada Real Estate Division.

  • In rural Nevada, water rights are owned and transferred separately from the land itself under NRS 533 — owning land next to a river does not give you any right to use the water. The seller's disclosure form must state whether water rights are attached to the property and whether they transfer with the sale, so buyers should never assume they come with the deed.

  • Nevada fair housing law (NRS 118) covers all the federal protected classes — race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, and disability — and adds 'ancestry' as an extra state-specific protected class. This applies to listing descriptions, social media posts, and how agents talk about neighborhoods or buyer preferences.

The guides

Common questions

Do I have to sign a contract with a Nevada buyer's agent before they show me homes?
Yes. After the August 2024 NAR settlement, Nevada agents who belong to a local MLS must have a signed written buyer representation agreement before showing you any property. The agreement has to spell out exactly what the agent will be paid, state that the amount is negotiable and was not set by any trade group, and be signed before your first tour.
Who pays the buyer's agent in Nevada now that the rules changed?
It depends on what is negotiated. The buyer can pay their agent directly per their representation agreement, or the buyer can ask the seller to cover the fee through a 'seller concession' written into the purchase offer. Some sellers still authorize their listing agent to offer compensation to buyer's agents — that offer just cannot appear in the MLS listing fields anymore, so it is communicated broker-to-broker or on the listing brokerage's own site.
Does Nevada use closing attorneys, or someone else?
Nevada is an escrow state. Residential closings are handled by licensed escrow agents regulated under NRS 645A, usually working at independent escrow companies or the escrow division of a title insurance company. Attorneys can conduct closings, but the standard practice in Clark County, Washoe County, and other Nevada metros is to close through an escrow officer.
What does Nevada's seller disclosure form actually cover?
The Real Property Disclosure Form under NRS 113.130 asks the seller about the condition of the roof, foundation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and water systems; any known hazardous materials like asbestos or lead-based paint; past flooding or water damage; encumbrances, liens, and boundary disputes; HOA fees and assessments; and any legal proceedings affecting the property. Sellers fill it out to the best of their actual knowledge — they are not required to hire an inspector to discover new problems.
I'm buying a condo in Nevada — what extra paperwork should I expect from the HOA?
Under NRS 116.4109, the seller must give you a 'resale package' before closing. It includes the HOA's declaration, bylaws and rules, the most recent year-end financial statement, current and special assessments, any pending or threatened litigation against the association, any violations attached to the unit you are buying, and the master insurance policy summary. Read it carefully — once you have reviewed it, your ability to back out can become limited.
How do I check if there are registered sex offenders near a Nevada home?
Nevada's Megan's Law registry under NRS 179D is publicly searchable by name, ZIP code, and geographic proximity at the state's offender registry website. The seller's disclosure form tells you the registry exists and how to access it, but it is the buyer's job to actually do the search — Nevada sellers and agents are not required to proactively identify specific registered offenders near the property.
Will I owe a transfer tax when I sell my Nevada home?
Yes. Nevada charges a Real Property Transfer Tax at closing under NRS 375. The base state rate is $1.95 per $500 of the sale price (or fraction of it), and Clark County (Las Vegas) and Washoe County (Reno) add their own surcharges that push the combined rate to roughly $2.55–$5.10 per $500. It is almost always paid by the seller out of closing proceeds.
What happens if my Nevada agent works for the same brokerage as the agent on the other side?
That situation is called dual agency, or an 'assigned licensee' arrangement when two different agents in the same firm represent each side. Nevada allows it under NRS 645.252, but every party must first sign the state's 'Consent to Act' form acknowledging the conflict in writing. If any party has not signed, the arrangement is a disciplinable violation by the Nevada Real Estate Division.
Do I have to give buyers a lead-paint disclosure if my Nevada home is old?
Yes, for any residential property built before 1978. Federal law (not a Nevada-specific statute) requires the seller to provide the EPA-prescribed lead-based paint disclosure addendum, deliver the EPA pamphlet 'Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home,' and offer the buyer a 10-day inspection contingency for lead testing unless the buyer waives it in writing. This applies to every pre-1978 home sold in Nevada.

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.