Property Donations: Every Type of Real Estate We Accept
Real Estate with Causes accepts property donations of every major type, in all 50 states. Each property type has its own transfer questions and its own tax treatment, so each has its own page. Pick yours below, or call and describe the property, and a specialist will tell you how a donation would work.
What kind of property are you donating?
Nine property categories, each with its own page covering how the transfer works, how it compares to selling, and the questions donors ask most.
How property donations differ by type
The core IRS rules are the same for every property donation. What changes from one type to the next is how the deduction is measured and what has to be sorted out before the deed records.
| Property type | How the deduction is generally measured | What we sort out first |
|---|---|---|
| Houses and condos | Generally fair market value if held over a year, 30% of AGI | Depreciation on rentals; HOA approval for condos |
| Land and farmland | Generally fair market value if held over a year, 30% of AGI | Access, program contracts, mineral and water rights |
| Commercial and industrial | Fair market value, reduced by depreciation rules where they apply | Environmental review; leases; entity ownership |
| Hotels | Real estate valued separately from furniture and the business | Franchise exit; staff and licenses |
| Land contracts | Fair market value of the contract interest, often below face | Giving it away can trigger deferred installment gain |
| Gift annuities | Value less the present value of the payments | Payments are part gift, part exchange; state rules apply |
We do not provide tax or legal advice. See IRS Publication 526, Publication 561 and the Form 8283 instructions, and consult your own advisor.
Property donation questions, answered
What types of real estate can I donate? +
Houses, condos, land, farmland, commercial and industrial buildings, hotels and your interest in a land contract, anywhere in the United States. Tell us about the property and we will review it, whatever its condition.
Is there a minimum value for a property donation? +
There is no fixed minimum. What matters is whether the property can be sold for meaningfully more than it costs to transfer, hold and sell, including anything owed against it. Many modest parcels work; some do not, and we will tell you which on the phone.
What does a property donation cost the donor? +
A donation is not a sale, so there is no escrow, no closing and no agent commission. We prepare and record the deed. The qualified appraisal is your expense and your choice of appraiser. Back taxes and cleanout are usually the donor’s, though we sometimes absorb them where the property supports it.
Which property donations are easiest? +
A single owner, clear title, nothing owed and no tenant is the simplest case, and land is often the simplest property type. Every added factor, a mortgage, several heirs, a lease or an environmental question, adds a step rather than a refusal.
How do I know which page applies to my property? +
Start with the property type above. If your situation crosses categories, such as an inherited farm with a tenant, or a condo with a mortgage, call and describe it. One specialist will handle the whole conversation.
Tell us about your property and we will review it
Every property gets a look. If a donation is not the right route, we will say so and point you at the one that is.