Title & escrow • Shepherdstown, West Virginia
Title and escrow in Shepherdstown.
From the historic German Street core to the campus of Shepherd University and the banks of the Potomac, Prime Title and Escrow handles residential and commercial closings in and around Shepherdstown with attorney-led care. Clear title, protected funds, and closings that land on time, across the river from Maryland.
Mortgage Rates
30-Yr Fixed6.53%15-Yr Fixed5.69%5/1 ARM6.10%FHA 30-Yr6.30%VA 30-Yr5.63%Jumbo 30-Yr6.45%30-Yr Refi6.64%30-Yr Fixed6.53%15-Yr Fixed5.69%5/1 ARM6.10%FHA 30-Yr6.30%VA 30-Yr5.63%Jumbo 30-Yr6.45%30-Yr Refi6.64%
National averages as of June 17, 2026Prime Title and Escrow is a title and escrow company, not a lender. Rates are for general information, not an offer. Contact a lender for a personalized quote.
Local to Shepherdstown
The oldest town in West Virginia.
Shepherdstown was founded in 1762 and is the oldest town in West Virginia, sitting on the Potomac across from Maryland. About 1,500 people live in town, and Shepherd University adds roughly 3,300 students, which shapes both the rental market and the historic, walkable core. A sale here records with the Jefferson County Clerk in Charles Town, under West Virginia law rather than Virginia’s.
Historic homes carry long chains of title and older recorded covenants, and rentals tied to the university bring their own questions, all of which we review before closing. Our guide to buying a home in the Eastern Panhandle and our overview of title insurance in West Virginia walk through what changes across the line.
What shapes a Shepherdstown closing
- Deeds record with the Jefferson County Clerk in Charles Town
- West Virginia transfer tax, customarily paid by the seller
- Historic homes with long chains of title
- A rental market tied to Shepherd University
- A walkable, historic core founded in 1762
- Buyers crossing from Maryland and Northern Virginia
Shepherdstown by the numbers
Historic, walkable, and university-anchored.
1,500
town residents, the oldest town in West Virginia
U.S. Census Bureau
$485K
median value of owner-occupied homes
U.S. Census Bureau
$64K
median household income
U.S. Census Bureau
3,300
students at Shepherd University
Shepherd University
Behind every one of those homes is a title that has to transfer clean. That is our work.
Where we close in Shepherdstown
Shepherdstown and the area around it.
We close in and around Shepherdstown, from the historic core to the areas near the university and the river, and throughout Jefferson County, for buyers, sellers, and lenders.
The town and where deeds record
Shepherdstown sits in Jefferson County, on the Potomac. Deeds record with the Jefferson County Clerk in Charles Town, and we handle that filing as part of closing.
German Street core • Shepherd University • Potomac riverfront • Terrapin Neck
Where deeds recordDeeds for Shepherdstown property record with the Jefferson County Clerk, the Clerk of the County Commission, in Charles Town, and we handle that filing for you as part of closing.
Neighborhoods and nearby
From the historic core to the campus and the river, here are the areas we serve.
The German Street core: the historic downtown and the walkable neighborhoods around it.
Near the university: the homes and rentals around the Shepherd University campus.
The riverfront: the property along the Potomac and toward Terrapin Neck.
Just outside: Kearneysville, Bakerton, and the rural land nearby.
The same standard, every closing
What we handle on a Shepherdstown file.
Title search and exam
We trace ownership and pull what is recorded against the property in the Jefferson County land records. More on what a title company does.
Clearing the title
Liens, judgments, easements, and association questions resolved before closing, so title transfers clean and insurable.
Secure escrow
Your funds held and disbursed through protected escrow, with wire instructions verified by phone.
Recording and policy
We record the deed with the Jefferson County Clerk and issue your title insurance policy.
Closing costs in Shepherdstown
What you can expect at the table.
West Virginia handles transfer taxes differently from Virginia. The state charges an excise tax on the transfer of real estate, and the county adds its own excise tax on top, so the combined rate depends on the county. As grantor, the seller customarily pays this transfer tax.
The exact amount depends on your sale price and the county’s rate. We calculate the precise numbers for your transaction and lay them out before closing. For the title side, see our overview of title insurance in West Virginia.
Recording charges on a Shepherdstown sale
- State excise tax: $1.10 per $500 of value (W. Va. Code 11-22-2), customarily the seller
- County excise tax: an added county portion on top of the state tax, set by the county
- A $20 affordable housing fee collected by the county clerk at recording
- Recording fees set by the Jefferson County Clerk, plus the deed of trust on a financed purchase
Sources: West Virginia Code, Chapter 11, Article 22, and the Jefferson County Clerk. This is general information, not tax or legal advice, and the exact amount depends on your transaction.
Protect your funds
A Shepherdstown closing moves real money, and that draws wire fraud.
A home purchase is one of the largest payments most people ever make, and that makes a closing a target. We use protected escrow and verified wire instructions, and we confirm details by phone before any funds move.
Before you send a dollar, call our office and confirm the instructions with a person you have spoken with. We will never send new wire instructions by email out of the blue. Learn how wire fraud and escrow safety in West Virginia work so you know what to watch for.
Before you wire a dollar
- Call our office at a number you looked up yourself
- Confirm the wire instructions with a person by phone
- Treat any emailed change of instructions as fraud until verified
- Ask your bank to confirm the receiving name, not just the number
- Keep a record of who you spoke with and when
Why Shepherdstown clients choose Prime
Attorney-led, independent, and careful with historic property.
Attorney-led
Two real estate attorneys oversee your file, so when a title question comes up, you have legal judgment on it, not a checklist.
Independent and neutral
We run no affiliated arrangements and pay no referral kickbacks. Our loyalty is to your closing and a clean transfer of title.
Historic property handled with care
Long chains of title, easements, and older recorded covenants on the oldest homes in the state, reviewed carefully so closing holds no surprises.
Rentals and resales
Student rentals near Shepherd University and historic resales in the core, handled by the same team.
How a closing runs
A clear path from contract to recording.
1
Open and order
We open the file and order the title search and any survey for the property.
2
Title commitment
We review what is recorded and surface liens, easements, and association concerns.
3
Clear and confirm
We resolve defects and confirm the figures with your lender and the parties.
4
Coordinate closing
We align buyer, seller, lender, and agents, and schedule the signing.
5
Fund and record
We protect and disburse the funds, record the deed with the Jefferson County Clerk, and issue the policy.
Shepherdstown questions
What people ask us.
Do you handle closings in and around Shepherdstown?
Yes. We close in and around Shepherdstown, from the historic German Street core to the areas near Shepherd University and the Potomac, for buyers, sellers, and lenders, residential and commercial.
Where do Shepherdstown deeds get recorded?
Shepherdstown sits in Jefferson County, so deeds record with the Jefferson County Clerk, the Clerk of the County Commission, in Charles Town, and we handle that filing for you as part of closing.
What is the transfer tax on a Shepherdstown sale?
West Virginia charges a state excise tax of $1.10 per $500 of value (W. Va. Code 11-22-2), and the county adds its own excise tax on top, so the combined rate depends on the county. As grantor, the seller customarily pays it. We calculate the exact figures for your sale.
Do you have to be in West Virginia to close here?
No. We close in both Virginia and West Virginia, and our Leesburg and Winchester offices sit a short drive from Shepherdstown, so you get a team that knows the Jefferson County records and the courthouse.
Do you handle historic homes and student rentals near Shepherd University?
Yes. Shepherdstown is the oldest town in West Virginia, with historic property and rentals tied to Shepherd University, and we review easements, older recorded covenants, and association documents as part of the title work.
Can you help buyers crossing from Virginia or Maryland?
Yes. Shepherdstown sits on the Potomac across from Maryland and a short drive from Northern Virginia, and we close on both sides of the line. Our guide to buying a home in the Eastern Panhandle covers what changes in West Virginia.
Closing in Shepherdstown?
Send us the property and the timeline, and we will send back a clear quote with no guesswork. Independent, attorney-led title and escrow for Shepherdstown and across the Eastern Panhandle.
(703) 552-4155Serving Shepherdstown and Jefferson County