Updated October 2026. Monroe County Clerk, City of Rochester and New York State pages checked on October 31, 2026.
Yes, you can sell your Rochester house by owner. As of October 2026, the Monroe County Clerk lists only the state’s transfer tax of $2 per $500, with no county add-on. On the typical $240,200 Rochester home, that’s $962. Expect about $200 more in Monroe County Clerk fees to record the deed and its forms.
Beycome doesn’t list homes in New York yet. That includes Rochester, so here’s what a by-owner sale costs and needs in Monroe County, so you can do it yourself.
Jump to: 🏡 Rochester values · 🧾 Clerk costs · 💲 Transfer tax · 📄 Deed rules · 🔑 Rentals and lead · 🪜 Steps · ❓ FAQ
Rochester key takeaways
- The typical home in the city of Rochester was worth $240,200 in September 2026, up 4.7% in a year (Zillow Home Value Index).
- Monroe County charges $50 to record a one-page deed, plus $5 for each extra page.
- Since March 11, 2020, every residential deed filed there carries an extra $10 fee.
- The RP-5217 transfer report must be filled in on a computer so its bar code prints; the clerk won’t take a handwritten one.
What should you price a Rochester home from?
Zillow’s index put the typical city of Rochester home at $240,200 in September 2026, up 4.7% over the year. The wider Rochester metro, which pulls in towns like Greece, Irondequoit and Henrietta, sat at $281,300, up 4.9%.
Use those as a sanity check, not a list price. A Park Avenue colonial and a 19th Ward double won’t move with the same index. Pull recent sales on your street, then compare with our home value calculator. Our guide on pricing your home walks through comps.
What does the Monroe County Clerk charge to record a sale?
The deed goes to the Monroe County Clerk with two state forms. Here’s the clerk’s posted fee list as of October 31, 2026:
| Item | Monroe County fee | Example: 3-page deed |
|---|---|---|
| Deed recording | $50 for one page, plus $5 per extra page | $60 |
| Residential deed fee (since March 11, 2020) | $10 | $10 |
| TP-584 transfer tax form | $5 | $5 |
| RP-5217 transfer report | $125 for a home (property class 100 to 299); otherwise $250 | $125 |
| Total before transfer tax | $200 |
Who pays which recording item is set by your contract and local custom, so settle it in writing. Your closing statement will show each line. Our closing costs guide helps you read it.
How much transfer tax do Rochester sellers pay?
The clerk lists the transfer tax at $4 per thousand, which is the state rate of $2 per $500. The clerk’s page lists no county tax on top of it. That’s a real difference from Erie County, where Buffalo sellers pay $4.50 per $500.
Any part of $500 counts as a full $500. Divide your price by 500, round up, and multiply by $2.
| Sale price | Monroe County (state tax only) | Same price at Erie County’s $4.50 rate |
|---|---|---|
| $180,000 | $720 | $1,620 |
| $240,200 (typical city home) | $962 | $2,164.50 |
| $281,300 (typical metro home) | $1,126 | $2,533.50 |
| $400,000 | $1,600 | $3,600 |
The seller pays the state tax by default. The 1% mansion tax starts at $1 million and falls on the buyer. Our New York transfer tax guide covers both.
What does the Monroe County Clerk need on the deed?
The clerk’s list is specific, and a rejected deed delays closing. Deeds must be dated originals and include:
- The name and address of both the seller and the buyer.
- A return address or the attorney’s box number.
- The full legal description, naming the town or city where the land sits.
- The new tax number, plus the property and tax mailing addresses.
- The seller’s signature and a notary acknowledgment that matches the name on the deed.
- A completed TP-584 and RP-5217 filed with it.
The RP-5217 trips up by-owner sellers. The clerk links to the current form and says it must be completed on a computer so the bar code prints. It can’t be handwritten or typed on a typewriter. Our paperwork checklist covers the rest of the file.
Selling a Rochester rental? What about the lead law?
If the home is a rental, the buyer will ask about Rochester’s lead rules. The city adopted its lead paint ordinance in December 2005. It works through the city’s existing inspections, including the Certificate of Occupancy for rental units. Most pre-1978 rentals that need a Certificate of Occupancy are covered.
In the high-risk area defined from Monroe County data, units that pass the visual paint check also need a dust wipe test. The city says owner-occupants aren’t directly affected by the law. Anyone paid to do repair work that disturbs more than 6 square feet of interior paint, or 20 square feet outside, in pre-1980 housing needs EPA lead-safe certification.
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Buy a home →So have your C of O status and any clearance reports ready. An investor buyer will price open violations into the offer. For any pre-1978 home, rented or not, you still give the federal lead disclosure. See our lead-based paint guide.
Which New York forms come with a Rochester sale?
- Property Condition Disclosure Statement. Signed and given to the buyer before they sign the contract. A $500 credit no longer replaces it. Our disclosure guide explains each section.
- Smoke alarm affidavit. Handed to the buyer at closing under Executive Law § 378. The buyer has 10 days to report an alarm that doesn’t work.
- Agricultural district notice. Only if the land is in a state agricultural district, which matters more in the outer towns than in the city.
The contract itself usually follows upstate practice. The State Bar says upstate offers are often written on a form subject to both attorneys’ approval within a short window. Our for sale by owner contract guide lists the clauses to include.
What are the steps to sell by owner in Rochester?
- Find your deed, last tax bills and any survey from your purchase.
- Run your net: price, minus $2 per $500 in state tax, your payoff, attorney fee and about $200 in clerk fees.
- Fill in the disclosure statement, and add the lead form for a pre-1978 home.
- If it’s a rental, pull your C of O and lead paperwork.
- Line up a Monroe County real estate attorney before the first showing.
- List, show and collect offers with proof of financing.
- Sign a contract with an attorney approval clause and clear dates.
- Close, record the deed with a computer-filled RP-5217 and the TP-584, and hand over the keys with the smoke alarm affidavit.
Do you need a realtor to sell a house in Rochester?
No, it’s not required; it’s your choice. An agent handles pricing, showings and offers for a fee. Selling on your own, you take that on and keep more of the price. Most Rochester sales have attorneys on both sides either way. Our New York FSBO guide covers the full process statewide.
More New York guides: Do You Need a Lawyer to Sell a House in New York? (2026), Sell Your House by Owner in Buffalo, NY: Taxes, Fees and Steps (2026), New York FSBO Contract of Sale: What It Must Include (2026).
More New York guides: Sell Your House by Owner in Syracuse, NY: Costs and Rules (2026).
Rochester FSBO questions
Can I sell my house by owner in Rochester, NY?
Yes. Using a realtor isn’t required; it’s your choice. You give the buyer the state disclosure form, and most sales use attorneys for the contract and closing.
Is there a Monroe County transfer tax?
No county add-on. The clerk collects the state tax of $4 per thousand, which is $2 per $500, usually paid by the seller.
How much transfer tax is due on a $240,200 Rochester home?
$962. That’s 481 slices of $500 at $2 each.
What does it cost to record a deed in Monroe County?
$50 for a one-page deed plus $5 per extra page, a $10 residential deed fee, $5 for the TP-584 and $125 for a home’s RP-5217.
Can I fill out the RP-5217 by hand in Monroe County?
No. The clerk says the form must be completed on a computer so the bar code is generated. Handwritten or typewritten forms won’t work.
Does Rochester’s lead law apply when I sell my own home?
The city says it doesn’t directly affect owner-occupants. It applies to most pre-1978 rentals through the Certificate of Occupancy inspection.
Reviewed by Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, a licensed real estate brokerage. Licenses: beycome.com/faq/how-to/are-you-a-licensed-broker/.
Fees and transfer tax from the Monroe County Clerk’s Land Records page, read October 31, 2026. Erie County comparison uses its $4.50 per $500 combined rate. Home values: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026 (city of Rochester and Rochester metro).
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Ask a Monroe County real estate attorney about your sale.
Sources
- Monroe County Clerk, Land Records (deed fees, TP-584, RP-5217, transfer tax, residential deed fee): monroecounty.gov, read October 31, 2026.
- City of Rochester, Lead paint FAQ: cityofrochester.gov, read October 31, 2026.
- Erie County Clerk, Record a Deed (comparison rate): erie.gov.
- New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Real estate transfer tax: tax.ny.gov.
- New York Executive Law § 378 (5-b), smoke alarm affidavit: nysenate.gov, read October 31, 2026.
- New York Real Property Law § 462: nysenate.gov.
- New York State Bar Association, LEGALEase: Buying and Selling Real Estate: nysba.org.
- Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index (September 2026): zillow.com.
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