Recordation tax, often called transfer tax, is a fee charged to record a deed with the county when a property changes hands, calculated as a set amount per hundred dollars of the sale price. In Tennessee it is 37 cents per $100 of the price or the property's value, whichever is higher, and the statute puts the obligation on the buyer unless the contract shifts it.
Why it matters
Knowing who owes this tax by default helps you spot a contract that quietly shifts it onto you.
In Tennessee: Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-4-409. This can work differently in another state.
General information, not legal or tax advice.