Property owners across North Carolina scored another victory on Tuesday when citizens in four counties rejected the proposed land transfer tax referendum that appeared on their ballots. Voters in Ashe, Gates, Orange and Tyrrell counties soundly rejected the referendum, bringing the voting record for the transfer tax to 0-20. This remarkable victory follows the pattern established last November, when the measure was voted down in 16 counties across North Carolina. The victory in Gates County followed the defeat of the same measure in November but, this time, by an even larger margin.

The land transfer tax, also known as the “home tax,” requires property owners to pay an additional tax upon selling their property based on the value of the property. It places an unfair and unreliable tax burden on homeowners and ultimately makes housing less affordable. A last minute special provision was placed into the North Carolina state budget bill in 2007, which granted counties the authority to place a 0.4% transfer tax referendum on their ballots.

NCHBA is vehemently opposed to the land transfer tax and has worked diligently with its partner, the North Carolina Association of Realtors, through the “It’s a Bad Idea” campaign to ensure that these measures would not be approved in these counties. Our attention now turns to repealing this law during the short session of the General Assembly in an effort to continue the promotion and protection homeownership in North Carolina.

NCHBA's share of the campaign came from our Issues Mobilization Fund. However, beating these referenda in 20 counties has been a very expensive undertaking. Please help us "replenish the fund" with your generous contribution. Please contact Jessi Hayes to help us with this effort.

County by County breakdown of May 6 Primary Election results