Protect Hamilton County Property Owners: Home Sales Tax Toolkit

Hamilton County leaders are proposing a 33% Homes Sales Tax increase (aka transfer tax) and just voted down a long promised 30% property tax rebate, approving only a 4.5% rebate

‼️ This approach shifts more of the burden onto homeowners, investors, and small businesses. ‼️

They’re asking property owners to pay more and get less.

Hamilton County’s current budget discussions would raise the transfer tax while shrinking the property tax rebate.
RAGC is providing tools, data, and direct links so property owners can take action now.

You have a voice in this important issue!

It’s critically important that Hamilton County Commissioners hear from you! The good news is Commissioner Alicia Reece is in our corner, but we need Commission President Denise Driehaus and Commission Vice President Stephanie Summerow Dumas to understand how important this issue is to REALTORS® and all property owners, especially homeowners!

Share your opinion!

Home Sales Tax (aka transfer tax)

Hamilton County Budget Proposal

Home Sales Tax Increase

Current: 3 mills (0.30%)
Proposed: 4 mills (0.40%)
Impact: 33% increase affecting all property sales

Property Tax Rebate Decrease

Promised: 30% property tax rebate
Proposed: Only 4.5% this year
Reality: Homeowners get less relief when they need it most

Combined Impact

Higher transaction costs + lower rebate = property owners carrying more of the county’s budget load.

What you need to know

WE MUST ACT BEFORE: Tuesday, December 9, 6:00 pm

Hamilton County Commissioners will host a public hearing on the Home Sales Tax (transfer tax)

Details:
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 @ 6:00 PM
Board of Elections,
4700 Smith Road,
Norwood, OH 45212

Important Talking Points

**This Is the Maximum Tax Increase Allowed Under Ohio Law**

A 1-mill transfer tax increase is the highest possible home-sales tax a county can levy.
Hamilton County is proposing to max out its authority—at a time when homeowners can least afford it.

Homeowners Are Already Reeling From Higher Property Taxes

Property valuations surged across Hamilton County, triggering dramatic tax increases for thousands of families.
Just days ago, the Commission refused to approve the 30% property tax rebate, removing the one relief mechanism homeowners were counting on.
Adding a maximum transfer tax on top is a triple financial hit to homeowners.

This Proposal Forces Homeowners to Shoulder the County’s Budget Problems—Again

Instead of distributing responsibility across the broader tax base, the county continues to rely on property owners as its primary revenue source.
The defeat of the 30% rebate and now the proposed Home Sales tax increase make clear:
Homeowners are becoming the county’s default bank account.

A Home Sales Tax Is a Direct Tax on Mobility

This tax hits families who are moving for work, downsizing, upsizing, caregiving, or responding to life changes.
It punishes seniors transitioning to more affordable housing, young families entering the market, and long-time residents shifting to new neighborhoods.
It makes Hamilton County less attractive for new residents and businesses.

This Tax Will Increase Housing Costs Across the Board

A Home Sales tax raises the cost of both buying and selling a home.
It reduces equity for sellers and increases upfront costs for buyers—already struggling with high interest rates and limited inventory.
These effects ripple outward, making housing less affordable at every price point.

Hamilton County Risks Losing Competitive Ground

Nearby counties—who are actively trying to attract new residents—do not layer on maximum Home Sales taxes.
A higher tax on home sales puts Hamilton County at a competitive disadvantage, discouraging investment and slowing economic momentum.
Businesses look for regions with strong, mobile, and growing housing markets—this proposal undermines that.

This Tax Disproportionately Harms First-Time Buyers and Working Families

First-time buyers already face enormous barriers: interest rates, student debt, rising prices, tighter lending standards.
A maximum transfer tax adds another insurmountable upfront cost.
It disproportionately impacts Black, brown, and lower-wealth households—widening existing homeownership gaps.

The County Has Not Exhausted More Equitable Revenue Options

A small sales-tax adjustment, spread equitably across residents, visitors, and consumers, is a far fairer approach.
A Home Sales tax targets one group—those experiencing a life transition or sale—while letting broader funding solutions go unexplored.
The county should not choose the easiest tax to pass; it should choose the fairest.

A Home Sales Tax Creates Economic Headwinds Countywide

Home sales fuel local jobs, small businesses, and county revenue.
A tax that slows transactions—especially a maximum tax—will cool the real estate market and reduce downstream economic activity.
This tax works against the county’s long-term fiscal health.

Stacking Taxes on Homeowners Is Not Sustainable Policy

Higher assessments → higher property taxes → 30% rebate rejected → now a maximum Home Sales tax.
This pattern is not fiscal strategy—it is short-term budgeting on the backs of homeowners.
Hamilton County must find balanced, sustainable revenue solutions that do not single out one group to carry the load.

The Proposal's Impact

Transfer Tax

Higher transfer taxes reduce sales activity, slow development, and shrink local economic output.

Property Tax Rebate

Reducing the property tax rebate shifts more tax burden onto homeowners.

Every $1,000 added to transaction costs prices out thousands of buyers

Higher closing costs reduce mobility for seniors and fixed-income households

Indiana & Kentucky remain substantially cheaper for buyers and investors

A shrinking rebate means homeowners’ costs rise even as inflation hits budgets hard

Collective Impact

Together, these proposals weaken affordability, competitiveness, and housing stability.

RAGC Advocacy Committee Work

The RAGC Advocacy Committee has been actively engaged on this issue—researching impacts, coordinating with NAR, meeting directly with county leadership, and mobilizing rapidly as the proposal emerged.

RAGC is actively engaging county leadership, analyzing impacts, and mobilizing members to ensure property owners (especially homeowners) and REALTORS® are heard before any final decision is made.

We are working hard to ensure REALTORS®, homeowners, and property owners have a strong, informed voice in this process and are partnering with business organizations across Greater Cincinnati to present a unified regional perspective.

In 2024, launched a campaign to successfully secure the full 30% property tax rebate for homeowners

We will advocate for long-term growth strategies that build competitiveness, support housing affordability, and position Hamilton County for durable economic success.

Why REALTORS® Care

REALTORS® care because these proposals harm homeowners, buyers, sellers, and local businesses.
The real estate market drives nearly 18% of Ohio’s economy, and added taxes reduce activity across the sector. Key point: Transfer taxes are widely found to depress housing transactions and mobility, and can impose substantial deadweight loss relative to the revenue they raise.

REALTORS® have long opposed transfer tax increases and support delivering the full 30% property tax rebate.
RAGC is committed to fair, sustainable tax policy that doesn’t hurt clients when they are most financially vulnerable.

Leadership Quotes

Commissioner Reece on the Sloan Show discussing the budget proposal and why she is opposed to a transfer tax increase.

Commissioner Reece at a recent meeting responding to the administrators proposal.

DaVan Gassett, President, REALTOR® Alliance of Greater Cincinnati

“Homeowners in Hamilton County are already feeling the squeeze from rising housing costs, higher property taxes, and limited inventory. Asking them to shoulder an additional transfer tax—amounting to roughly a 33% increase—is simply not fair. As REALTORS®, we hear firsthand the concerns of buyers and sellers across every income level, and the message is consistent: this will make homeownership harder, not easier. Our members strongly believe there are better, more balanced ways for the County to address its budget challenges without placing yet another burden on the people who keep our communities strong.”

Marcus Parrish, President, Greater Cincinnati Realtist Assocition

“The Greater Cincinnati Realtist community stands firmly with RAGC in opposing the transfer tax increase and demanding the full 30% property-tax rebate homeowners were promised. These proposals would place an unfair burden on the very families we are all working to help build wealth through homeownership. Together, we are united in protecting access, affordability, and opportunity for every property owner in Hamilton County.”

Heather Kopf, Chair, Advocacy Committee, REALTOR® Alliance of Greater Cincinnati

“As REALTORS®, we stand on the front lines with homeowners every day. We cannot allow new policies to make homeownership more expensive or less attainable. RAGC is here to defend our clients, our members, and the health of our housing market.”

Kelly Meyer, Chair, Greater Cincinnati Commercial Council

“Our Commercial Real Estate Council is united in strong opposition to the proposed transfer tax increase. Raising this tax makes it harder to buy and sell real estate in Hamilton County and places an unnecessary and disproportionate burden directly on property ownership. Hamilton County is already far less competitive than our neighboring markets—Indiana charges a flat $15, and Kentucky is $1 per thousand, while we are already three times higher than Kentucky at the current rate. Increasing the tax from 3 to 4 mills only widens that gap and hurts every sector of our market. This is a direct tax on real estate and a direct hit to economic growth. We have always opposed transfer taxes, and we always will, because our role is to protect the rights and interests of all property owners. We need to stand together—commercial, residential, builders, and developers—and make it absolutely clear: this proposal is a big no for Hamilton County.”

Alicia Reece, County Commissioner, Hamilton County, OHIO

“As I continue working to make Hamilton County a more affordable place to live and raise a family, I remain committed to looking at all options. I have asked the county administration to explore every opportunity to provide residents with relief as property taxes, utility and electric bills, and food costs continue to skyrocket. We do not need more taxes — we need a break, so our residents are not priced out.”

Mary Huttlinger, Government Affairs Director, REALTOR® Alliance of Greater Cincinnati

“While we understand the County’s need for fiscal stability, increasing the real estate transfer tax is the wrong long-term solution. Transfer taxes are regressive, volatile, and directly suppress market activity—reducing transactions and slowing economic growth. Hamilton County risks making homeownership less attainable and driving investment to surrounding counties. Sustainable alternatives exist, including modest millage adjustments, sunset provisions, or exemptions for lower-value homes. We encourage the Commissioners to pursue strategies that grow the economic base rather than penalize those who are already contributing most to it.”

Women's Council of REALTORS®, Cincinnati Area

“The Women’s Council firmly opposes the proposed increase in the transfer tax and the reduction of the allowable property tax rebate. This is about more than balancing a budget — it’s about doing what’s right. Asking property owners alone to shoulder the county’s revenue gap forces them to support something that is directly against their best interests. We urge the Commissioners to pursue alternative revenue sources that draw from a broader population and do not undermine homeownership, investment, or economic mobility.”

Talking Points

It's important to talk to your colleagues and clients

It’s vital to talk with your peers, colleagues, and clients about the transfer tax increase and the county’s plan to give only a 4.5% property-tax rebate instead of the full 30%. Both decisions would raise the cost of buying, selling, and owning property in Hamilton County.

REALTORS® see firsthand how a higher transfer tax and reduced rebate make housing and property ownership less affordable and slow the market. By sharing this information and urging others to speak up, you ensure homeowners and the real estate community are heard before these decisions are finalized.

"Raising the transfer tax directly increases closing costs for homeowners—often during life transitions when they’re most financially stretched."

"Higher transaction costs can discourage listings and slow down sales, which reduces mobility and limits opportunities for both buyers and sellers."

"When fewer sellers list their homes, inventory tightens, making it even harder for first-time buyers to find affordable options."

"Failing to honor the full 30% rebate shifts the county’s budget problems onto homeowners already facing rising valuations and inflation."

"A 30% rebate is real relief; 4.5% is a fraction of what homeowners deserve and were assured."

"Hamilton County promised a 30% rebate for nearly 30 years—delivering only 4.5% breaks trust and burdens every homeowner."

"The tax applies the same percentage to everyone, meaning low-equity and lower-income sellers are hit hardest, regardless of their ability to pay."

"Increasing Hamilton County’s transfer tax above neighboring counties could push buyers and developers to surrounding areas, weakening our local market."

"As professionals on the ground, REALTORS® understand how even small increases in transaction costs can affect decisions, contracts, and overall market stability—our perspective is vital."