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dizposition

Sell your commercial property in Delaware

We buy commercial real estate across Delaware directly, as-is, for cash.

Delaware at a glance

Population
1.1M
Job growth
+0.1%
Transfer tax
Up to 4% (2.5% state + 1.5% local)
Eff. property tax
0.54%

Data current as of

Market conditions

The Delaware market right now

Our read

Delaware has about 1.1 million residents and is growing 0.9% a year. Over the latest year it gained a net 6,855 residents from other states, and median household income is $87,534.

Delaware adds residents faster than its neighbors, but they do not land evenly. Wilmington is the corporate and banking center, Dover combines state government with Dover Air Force Base, and Sussex County is poultry processing and beach-resort seasonality. A retail building in Sussex lives on summer traffic; an office building in Wilmington lives on the incorporation economy.

Transfer tax is the line item to watch. Delaware's is one of the highest in the country and split evenly by statute, so the seller's half is a real cost. Counties reassess at least every five years, and values hold between reassessments.

Valuation

What your Delaware property is worth

How we price it

What a commercial property is worth in Delaware comes down to the income it produces, how durable that income is, and what it costs to hold and transfer the asset here. We underwrite all three rather than applying a statewide cap rate to a number you send us.

Income durability is where most valuations go wrong. A tenant with three years remaining in Wilmington is a different risk from the same tenant in Sussex County, and remaining lease term alone does not capture it. We look at what the space actually re-leases for and how long it sits empty first.

Holding and transfer cost is the other half, and it comes directly out of your proceeds. Transfer tax, property tax treatment, and closing convention vary more between states than most sellers expect. The Delaware figures, with the statutes behind them, are set out in the tax and legal section below.

Capital markets today

10-yr Treasury
5.24%
4.12% a year ago
SOFR
3.87%
4.2% a year ago
30-yr mortgage
7.28%
6.3% a year ago
CRE loan delinquency
1.53%
1.57% a year ago
CRE prices, YoY
6.58%
-2.7% a year ago

Sources: FRED DGS10, 2026-10-01 · FRED SOFR, 2026-10-01 · FRED MORTGAGE30US, 2026-10-01 · FRED DRCRELEXFACBS, 2026-04-01 · FRED COMREPUSQ159N, 2026-01-01

Delaware tax & legal

Delaware's realty transfer tax totals up to 4% and is split evenly by statute, so the seller's half on a $4M sale is $80,000.

Transfer tax
Up to 4% (2.5% state + 1.5% local)
Property tax (eff.)
0.54%
1031 conformity
Yes
Closing
Attorney state

Delaware property tax vs. the 50 states

  • Delaware
  • Other states
  • Median state
  • Effective property tax rate

    0.29%1.88%

    0.54%

    12th lowest of 50

Effective rates as cited on each state's page; every state's sources include Tax Foundation.

View all states as a table
StateEffective property tax rate
Arizona0.48%
Texas1.40%
Florida0.78%
Alabama0.37%
Alaska0.94%
Arkansas0.56%
California0.70%
Colorado0.50%
Connecticut1.54%
Delaware0.54%
Georgia0.79%
Hawaii0.29%
Idaho0.50%
Illinois1.88%
Indiana0.76%
Iowa1.33%
Kansas1.21%
Kentucky0.74%
Louisiana0.55%
Maine0.98%
Maryland0.92%
Massachusetts1.00%
Michigan1.19%
Minnesota1.00%
Mississippi0.58%
Missouri0.89%
Montana0.61%
Nebraska1.44%
Nevada0.50%
New Hampshire1.50%
New Jersey1.88%
New Mexico0.63%
New York1.30%
North Carolina0.66%
North Dakota0.92%
Ohio1.36%
Oklahoma0.79%
Oregon0.81%
Pennsylvania1.26%
Rhode Island1.12%
South Carolina0.49%
South Dakota1.00%
Tennessee0.52%
Utah0.48%
Vermont1.51%
Virginia0.78%
Washington0.75%
West Virginia0.51%
Wisconsin1.32%
Wyoming0.53%

Statutes

  • 30 Del. C. § 5402
  • 9 Del. C. § 8306
  • 30 Del. C. § 1126

In Delaware, the transfer tax is the biggest line item at closing, while property tax is light.

Under 30 Del. C. § 5402, the state rate is 2.5% where the county or municipality has enacted the full 1.5% local tax, for a combined 4%. Where the local tax is lower, the state rate is 3%. The statute splits the tax equally between grantor and grantee, so on a $4M sale at 4%, your half is $80,000.

On assessment: Delaware now requires each county to reassess all real property at fair market value at least once every five years (9 Del. C. § 8306). Between reassessments, values stay fixed at the base year, so a sale does not trigger a new assessment. The statewide effective rate is near 0.54%.

A Delaware-licensed attorney must be involved, directly or as a supervisor, in every real estate settlement, under a 2000 Delaware Supreme Court ruling on the unauthorized practice of law. Delaware conforms to federal 1031 treatment. Nonresident individual sellers must file an estimated income tax declaration at recording, at the highest marginal rate on the estimated gain, under 30 Del. C. § 1126. An alternative form covers sales that qualify for nonrecognition, such as a 1031 exchange.

What this means

If you're selling in Delaware

  1. Transfer tax of Up to 4% (2.5% state + 1.5% local)

    Budget this as a closing cost from day one. It is charged on the sale price, not on your gain, so it applies whether or not the sale is profitable.

  2. Attorney closing state

    Delaware requires an attorney at closing. Engage one before you go under contract — finding one mid-transaction is the most common cause of a slipped closing date.

  3. 1031 exchange defers state tax too

    Delaware conforms to federal like-kind exchange treatment, so a properly structured 1031 defers both. You must have a qualified intermediary in place before closing — it cannot be arranged afterward.

  4. How the sale affects assessed value

    No. Each county must complete a general reassessment at fair market value at least once every five years, and values hold between reassessments.

Demand drivers

The Delaware economy

Population

1.1M

Pop. growth

+0.9%

Job growth

+0.1%

Unemployment

4.7%

Net domestic migration

+6,855

Housing permits YTD

4,568

Permits vs last year

-1.6%

Median household income

$88K

How Delaware compares

  • Delaware
  • Other states
  • Median state
  • Job growth, year over year

    -0.9%+1.6%

    +0.1%

    15th lowest of 50

  • Population growth

    -0.3%+1.5%

    +0.9%

    6th highest of 50

  • Unemployment rate

    2.0%5.1%

    4.7%

    8th highest of 50

  • Median household income

    $59K$105K

    $88K

    13th highest of 50

View all states as a table
StateJob growth, year over yearPopulation growthUnemployment rateMedian household income
Arizona+0.6%+0.9%4.9%$81K
Texas+1.1%+1.3%4.4%$80K
Florida+0.6%+0.8%4.5%$78K
Alabama+1.1%+0.6%3.4%$67K
Alaska+1.3%+0.1%4.3%$96K
Arkansas+0.6%+0.6%3.9%$62K
California+0.8%-0.0%5.1%$100K
Colorado+0.2%+0.4%4.0%$97K
Connecticut+0.9%+0.4%5.1%$96K
Delaware+0.1%+0.9%4.7%$88K
Georgia-0.1%+0.9%3.2%$80K
Hawaii+0.2%-0.1%2.7%$101K
Idaho+0.9%+1.4%3.6%$81K
Illinois+0.2%+0.1%4.7%$83K
Indiana-0.5%+0.6%3.3%$72K
Iowa+0.0%+0.3%3.2%$76K
Kansas+0.5%+0.4%3.8%$76K
Kentucky-0.1%+0.5%4.7%$65K
Louisiana+1.6%+0.1%4.2%$61K
Maine-0.1%+0.5%3.2%$76K
Maryland-0.2%+0.3%4.1%$103K
Massachusetts+0.2%+0.2%4.3%$105K
Michigan+0.2%+0.3%5.0%$72K
Minnesota+1.4%+0.6%4.4%$87K
Mississippi+0.4%+0.1%3.4%$59K
Missouri+1.1%+0.4%3.5%$72K
Montana-0.9%+0.6%3.2%$75K
Nebraska+0.2%+0.6%2.9%$76K
Nevada+1.3%+0.9%4.8%$81K
New Hampshire+0.2%+0.5%2.8%$100K
New Jersey-0.2%+0.4%4.3%$104K
New Mexico+1.6%-0.1%4.7%$68K
New York-0.0%+0.0%4.3%$86K
North Carolina+1.3%+1.3%3.5%$74K
North Dakota+0.5%+0.8%2.2%$78K
Ohio+0.2%+0.3%3.3%$72K
Oklahoma+0.7%+0.6%4.3%$66K
Oregon-0.8%+0.2%5.1%$85K
Pennsylvania+0.6%+0.1%3.7%$78K
Rhode Island+0.1%+0.4%3.7%$84K
South Carolina+1.6%+1.5%4.1%$72K
South Dakota+0.2%+0.9%2.0%$77K
Tennessee+0.5%+0.9%3.4%$72K
Utah+1.0%+1.0%3.5%$97K
Vermont-0.3%-0.3%2.6%$83K
Virginia-0.9%+0.7%3.6%$92K
Washington+0.4%+0.9%4.9%$99K
West Virginia-0.3%-0.1%4.0%$61K
Wisconsin+0.6%+0.3%3.2%$77K
Wyoming+0.8%+0.3%3.0%$76K

Delaware's economy runs on corporate and legal services, banking and credit, chemicals, agriculture and poultry, and logistics. The corporate and legal side is unusual: national incorporations bring professional-services demand to Wilmington that a state this size would not otherwise support.

The population grows, but the state added jobs at 0.1% over the past year, unemployment is 4.7%, and residential permits are down 1.6% year to date. Residents arriving faster than jobs supports retail and service space near where people live more than it supports new office or industrial demand.

Wilmington is the submarket we hear from most in Delaware, driven by its corporate and banking tenants and the chancery court that draws incorporations from across the country.

Industries driving demand

  • Corporate & legal services

  • Banking & credit

  • Chemicals

  • Agriculture & poultry

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, 2024 · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, August 2026 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics (total nonfarm, YoY), August 2026 · U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (residential units, year to date), January–August 2026

Regions

Where Delaware volume happens

  1. 01

    Wilmington

    Corporate and banking center; chancery court draws national incorporations.

  2. 02

    Dover

    State capital with Dover Air Force Base.

  3. 03

    Sussex County

    Coastal Delaware; poultry processing and beach-resort seasonality.

Process

How selling to Dizposition works

The full process
  1. Day 0

    01

    Send us the property

    Address, asset type, and the lease if there is one. That is enough for us to start.

  2. 02

    We underwrite it

    Our underwriting runs the income against current Delaware market pricing and the cost of capital. No lowball anchor.

  3. 10 minutes

    03

    You get a firm offer

    In 10 minutes, with the math shown. You will know exactly how we got there.

  4. As fast as 30 days

    04

    Close on your timeline

    As fast as 30 days, or as slow as you need. We are the principal, so the date is yours.

FAQ

Selling commercial property in Delaware

Where in Delaware do you buy commercial property?

Statewide. Our activity concentrates in Wilmington, Dover, Sussex County, but we buy across Delaware including secondary and rural markets that most institutional buyers skip.

What kinds of commercial property do you buy in Delaware?

Retail, industrial, healthcare, hospitality, land, and specialty assets. Delaware's economy leans toward corporate & legal services and banking & credit, so we see a lot of corporate & legal services-adjacent property here. We also buy assets other people avoid — vacant, environmentally impaired, or with short lease term.

What are the closing costs to sell commercial property in Delaware?

Title and escrow fees, any transfer or recording tax the state levies, prorated property taxes, and payoff of existing debt. Because we are the buyer there is no commission. In Delaware, the transfer tax on a commercial sale is Up to 4% (2.5% state + 1.5% local). The statute and the rest of the closing-cost detail are in the tax and legal section above.

Is there a transfer tax when you sell commercial property in Delaware?

By statute, the realty transfer tax is split equally between seller and buyer. The state rate is 2.5% where the county or municipality has enacted the full 1.5% local tax, and 3% where it has not.

Does selling reset the property tax assessment in Delaware?

No. Each county must complete a general reassessment at fair market value at least once every five years, and values hold between reassessments. The effective property tax rate in Delaware is about 0.54%.

Does Delaware follow federal 1031 exchange rules?

Yes. Delaware conforms to Section 1031, so a properly structured exchange defers state income tax on the gain as well as federal. The 45-day identification and 180-day closing deadlines are federal and apply the same way.

Who handles a commercial real estate closing in Delaware?

Delaware is an attorney state: a licensed attorney conducts or supervises the closing. We work with your attorney or recommend one, and we pay our own legal costs.

Is demand for commercial property growing in Delaware?

Delaware's population is growing 0.9% a year and over the latest year it gained a net 6,855 residents from other states. Employers added jobs at 0.1% over the past year, with unemployment at 4.7%, and residential permits are down 1.6% year to date. Those are the inputs behind tenant demand; what they mean for your property depends on its submarket and lease, which is what we underwrite.

How long does it take to sell a commercial property to Dizposition?

You get a firm written offer within 10 minutes of sending us the property. If you accept, you can close in as little as 30 days — most of that is title work and your own timeline. There is no listing period, no marketing, and no waiting on a buyer's financing contingency.

Can I sell my property as-is?

Yes. We are the buyer, so there is no lender requiring repairs and no inspection contingency to renegotiate against you. Deferred maintenance, a failing roof, an aging tank system — we price it into the offer rather than asking you to fix it first.

Can I sell with a tenant in place?

Yes, and in most cases a tenant makes the property more valuable to us, not less. We will ask for the lease, a rent roll, and any estoppel certificates. You do not need to deliver the property vacant.

What if my lease is short-term or about to expire?

Short remaining term is one of the main reasons owners come to us. A conventional buyer needs lease term to get financing, which is why short-dated assets sit on the market. We underwrite the real estate and the backfill prospects rather than the remaining term alone.

What if the property is vacant?

We buy vacant assets. Pricing shifts from an income approach to what the building and land are worth to the next user, which is a different calculation — but it is one we do routinely rather than one that disqualifies the property.

Do I need a broker to sell to you?

No. We buy directly, and there is no commission because there is nothing to market. If you already have a broker, we will pay them. Selling without one saves the commission, but you should understand you are also giving up price discovery — a broker's job is to find out whether someone will pay more than we will.

What documents do I need to get an offer?

The address and the lease are enough to start. To finalize, we will want the rent roll, the last two years of operating statements, the title commitment, any existing survey, and any environmental reports you already have. You do not need an appraisal or a broker package.

How do you determine your offer?

We underwrite in-place income against what the space would re-lease for, adjust for capital needs and any environmental tail, and apply a cap rate supported by comparable transactions. We show you the inputs. If you disagree with an assumption, we would rather argue about the assumption than about the number.

What are typical seller closing costs?

Title and escrow fees, any transfer or recording tax owed in your state, prorated property taxes, and payoff of any existing debt. Because we are the buyer, there is no commission and no marketing cost. Transfer tax varies significantly by state and is often the largest single line.

Will I owe capital gains tax when I sell?

Usually yes, on the gain above your adjusted basis, and depreciation recapture is taxed separately from appreciation. State treatment varies. This is a question for your CPA before you sign, not after — the structure of the sale can change the answer.

Can I do a 1031 exchange?

Yes. A 1031 exchange lets you defer federal capital gains by reinvesting in like-kind property, subject to a 45-day identification window and a 180-day closing window from the date you sell. You must have a qualified intermediary in place before closing — it cannot be arranged afterward. Most states conform to federal treatment, but a few do not.

Can I sell if I am behind on payments or facing foreclosure?

Yes, and speed is the reason to move early rather than late. We can close on a defined date, which is what a lender or a receiver generally needs to see. Send us the payoff figure and any notices you have received.

Can I sell a property I inherited or that is in probate?

Yes. Probate sales take longer because the court timeline governs, not ours, and multiple heirs need to agree on the price before anything can close. We are used to working around both. Inherited property also generally receives a stepped-up basis, which can change the tax math substantially.

What if there is environmental contamination?

Send it anyway. Environmental history is one of the most common reasons a conventional sale falls apart, and it is one of the reasons owners call us. We price the remediation and the residual liability into the offer rather than walking away at the Phase II.

Is there any cost or obligation to get an offer?

None. There is no fee, no listing agreement, and no obligation to accept. If our number does not work for you, you keep the underwriting we showed you and we part ways.

10-minute offer

Ready to sell in Delaware?

Send us the address and the lease. You'll have a firm offer, with the math shown, in 10 minutes.