Deductions & credits

You don't report buying a house.  You may be able to deduct Property Tax and Mortgage Interest paid.  But you might need to enter the Sale.

 

Enter a primary house sale under

Federal Taxes or Personal (Home & Business version)

Wages and Income

Then scroll down to the last section - Less Common Income

Sale of Home - Click the Start or Update button

 

For a primary home, if you owned and lived in your house for 2 out of the last 5 years when you sell you can exclude the gain up to $250,000 for single or 500,000 for married from tax.  You can not take a loss on your tax return.  If you made more than a 250,000 (500,000 for joint) gain then the amount over it is taxed. Doesn't matter what you did with the proceeds like buy another house or pay off the mortgage

 

IRS pub 523 house sale.  Figuring Gain or Loss on page 8.

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p523.pdf