Who Writes This Site
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
A lender's site about one problem: how a Minnesota homeowner buys the next house before the current one sells.
What this site is for
One question, worked properly. How does a Minnesota homeowner fund the next purchase before the current home sells, and what does each structure cost once the recording taxes are counted.
That second half is why this is a Minnesota site. The Department of Revenue charges a mortgage registry tax of 0.0023 of the debt secured every time a mortgage is recorded, states that the borrower is liable, and adds a deed tax of 0.0033 of net consideration on the sale. A buy-before-you-sell can touch all three.
The offsetting good news is that all 87 Minnesota counties sit at the $832,750 conforming baseline, so the loan limit is never the live question here.
Where our work stops
We originate loans. We name the recording taxes because they change which structure costs least. We do not coach tax-reduction technique: the Department's own navigation lists statutory exemptions and a method for limiting the amount of principal debt secured, and whether either reaches your transaction is a question for your closing agent or your attorney, not for a lender's website.
We also do not write, review or advise on purchase contracts. Your agent handles those.
How figures get on these pages
Every dollar amount and percentage traces to a primary source recorded with a verification date. The mortgage registry tax and deed tax rates, and the worked examples on this site, come from the Minnesota Department of Revenue pages read on September 24, 2026. Loan limits come from the FHFA county file. Agency rules come from the Fannie Mae Selling Guide, cited by section and date. Market values come from Zillow's published research series with the data month attached.
Talking to us
Call (480) 296-6513 or use the contact page. Our team reaches out shortly, with no obligation.
Start with the Minnesota guide or the three structures.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs this site?
Mike Certo, NMLS #260555, Branch Manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage, NMLS #173855. The site covers buy-before-you-sell financing for Minnesota homeowners, statewide across all 87 counties.
Does this site explain how to reduce Minnesota recording taxes?
No. The Department of Revenue lists statutory exemptions and a method for limiting the amount of principal debt secured. Naming that those exist is fine; coaching the technique is not lending work, and whether either reaches your transaction is a question for your closing agent or attorney.
Where do the tax figures come from?
The Minnesota Department of Revenue's mortgage tax rate and deed tax rate pages, read on September 24, 2026. The worked examples on this site, $230 and $240 on $100,000 of debt and $660 and $680 on a $200,000 sale, are the Department's own.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax, or real estate advice. Minnesota mortgage registry tax and deed tax are administered by the Minnesota Department of Revenue and exemptions depend on your facts; your closing agent, your CPA or a Minnesota attorney, and your real estate agent each handle their own part. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.