Caul Group Residential, brokered by eXp Realty
You can look up what a Wake County home sold for, for free, on the county's Real Estate Data website. Search the address, open the record and look at the Transfer Information and Deeds tab, which show the recorded sale date, price and the deed it came from.
Here is how to find a sale, how to read the record and how to use it when you buy or sell.
Step by step: find a sale price
- Go to Wake County Real Estate Data. Open services.wake.gov/realestate.
- Search the address. Type the street number and the street name. Then pick the right street from the list. You can also search by owner name, the 7-digit Real Estate ID or the PIN.
- Open the account. Click the property. The Account tab opens first.
- Read "Transfer Information." Look for Deed Date, Pkg Sale Date and Pkg Sale Price. If you see a code you don't recognize, such as "Pkg," check Wake County's Real Estate Data help pages or contact the county's Department of Tax Administration.
- Open the Deeds tab. It lists each recorded deed with its date, book and page, and the revenue stamps paid.
- Open the deed itself, if you want. Use the book and page numbers, or open the home in iMAPS and click the Deed button.
How to read the record
- Deed Date. The date of the deed for the last sale.
- Book & Page. Where the deed sits in the Register of Deeds' records.
- Revenue Stamps. The state excise tax paid when the home sold.
- Pkg Sale Price. The sale price the county recorded.
- Land Sale Price. Shown when the land sold by itself, like a lot sold before a home was built.
- Assessed value. This is the county's value for tax purposes. It is not the sale price. Wake County says these values reflect market value as of Jan. 1, 2024. The next revaluation takes effect Jan. 1, 2027 (Wake County).
Use the revenue stamps to check the price
North Carolina charges an excise tax when a home sells. The tax is $1 for every $500 of the price, or part of $500 (NCGS 105-228.30). The seller pays it.
That means you can estimate the price from the stamps. Divide the stamps by 2, then multiply by 1,000.
- Example: $720 in stamps ÷ 2 = 360. 360 × 1,000 = about $360,000.
The tax rounds up to the next $500, so the result is close, not exact. If the stamps show $0, the record does not show a price for that transfer.
Other free Wake County tools
- Sales tab. On the county record, this tab lists nearby sales in the same valuation neighborhood. It shows each home's distance, year built, size, price and sale date.
- COMPER Comparable Sales Search. A Wake County Tax Administration tool for searching home sales: nc-wake-residentialsales.comper.info.
- iMAPS. A map from Wake County and the City of Raleigh. Search an address, then open the deed, the plat (the recorded lot map) or the county tax record.
- Register of Deeds. The Wake County Register of Deeds keeps the recorded deeds and maps.
Questions about a county record go to Wake County Tax Administration at [email protected].
What the public record will not tell you
- What the buyer and seller agreed to on the side. The record does not show seller credits, repairs or what came with the house.
- The condition of the home. Two homes with the same size can sell far apart because of updates, lot or location.
- Today's value. A sale from two years ago reflects that market, not this one.
- Sales not yet recorded. A sale shows up after the deed is recorded, so the newest sales can take time to appear.
The county also says its deed data is for information only and not for deciding who owns a property.
How to use sale prices when you buy or sell
- Buying. Look up what the home last sold for and what nearby homes sold for. Bring those numbers to your agent when you talk about an offer.
- Selling. Recent sales near you are the starting point for pricing. Your agent will also look at homes for sale now, condition and updates.
- Checking a tax value. Compare your assessed value with recent sales near you before the next revaluation.
Want a price for your own home? Start with our home value page. Home in Durham County? Read What Is My Durham Home Worth?
Frequently asked questions
Are home sale prices public in Wake County?
Yes. Wake County's Real Estate Data website shows the recorded sale date and price for most homes, along with the deeds and revenue stamps. It is free to search.
Where do I look up a house in Wake County?
Go to services.wake.gov/realestate and search by address, owner name, Real Estate ID or PIN. You can also search the same homes on iMAPS, the Wake County and City of Raleigh map.
How do I figure out a sale price from revenue stamps?
North Carolina's excise tax is $1 for each $500 of the price. Divide the stamps by 2 and multiply by 1,000. For example, $720 in stamps means a price of about $360,000.
Is the assessed value the same as what a home sold for?
No. The assessed value is the county's value for property taxes. Wake County says current values reflect market value as of Jan. 1, 2024. A home's sale price can be higher or lower.
Why doesn't a recent sale show up yet?
A sale appears after the deed is recorded with the Register of Deeds and the county updates its record. Very new sales can take time to show.
Can I see sale prices of homes near mine?
Yes. Open any Wake County property record and click the Sales tab to see nearby sales in the same valuation neighborhood. Wake County's COMPER tool also searches home sales.
Buying or selling in Wake County?
We are the #1 Resale team in the Triangle, with a team of about 50 agents. Our founder, Tina Caul, has been in Raleigh real estate since 2001, and we can help you read the sales near any home and turn them into a price.
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