Average Closing Costs | Bankrate (2024)

Average Closing Costs | Bankrate (1)

Siri Stafford/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate

Key takeaways

  • Closing costs can vary significantly by state, ranging from less than 1 percent of the home's sale price to 5 percent or more.
  • Washington, D.C. has the highest average closing costs in the country, while Missouri has the lowest.
  • Homebuyers can potentially negotiate certain closing costs to lower their upfront costs.

Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you may ever make, but the asking price doesn’t offer the complete picture of how much you’ll need to get the keys. You’ll also have to account for closing costs, which are the fees associated with finalizing a real estate deal, like home appraisal and credit check fees.

One big factor that impacts your closing cost tab is where in the U.S. you’re buying — typical costs can vary widely from one state to another. If you’re in the process of buying a house, or just starting to think about it, keep reading for details on the average closing costs by state.

How much are average closing costs?

Closing costs are the upfront fees you pay when getting a mortgage and finalizing a home purchase. The national average closing costs for purchasing a single-family home come to $6,905 including transfer taxes, and $3,860 without, according to the most recent data from CoreLogic’s ClosingCorp (which covers the year 2021).

You’ll also pay closing costs when you refinance your mortgage. Those costs, however, tend to be much lower: an average of $2,375, according to ClosingCorp.

In general, closing costs for a home purchase cover expenses and fees including:

  • Credit check
  • Title search and insurance
  • Appraisal
  • Attorney fees
  • Origination fee
  • Application fee
  • Underwriting fee
  • Transfer taxes, if applicable

Closing costs by state

Depending on what state you’re in, ClosingCorp’s data shows that these fees can amount to anywhere from less than 1 percent of the home’s sale price to more than 5 percent at the highest end of the range.

StateClosing costs for home purchase (including taxes)Percentage of average home sale price (including taxes)
Source: ClosingCorp
Washington, D.C.$29,8883.9%
Delaware$17,8595.4%
New York$16,8493.1%
Maryland$14,7213.7%
Washington$13,9272.4%
Pennsylvania$10,6344.3%
Connecticut$8,8212.1%
Florida$8,5542.3%
New Hampshire$8,1832.3%
Massachusetts$7,9641.3%
California$7,9531.0%
New Jersey$7,9151.7%
Vermont$7,9062.6%
Hawaii$7,4630.9%
Nevada$6,3831.5%
Virginia$6,3461.7%
Illinois$5,9292.1%
Michigan$5,7142.7%
Rhode Island$5,5681.4%
Utah$4,8371.0%
Arizona$4,7011.2%
Texas$4,5481.5%
Maine$4,4201.3%
Oregon$4,3270.9%
Ohio$4,2232.0%
Idaho$4,0821.0%
Minnesota$4,0111.4%
Tennessee$3,9111.4%
Colorado$3,8810.7%
Georgia$3,7621.3%
Louisiana$3,7111.7%
Alaska$3,5811.0%
New Mexico$3,5131.1%
Wisconsin$3,4591.5%
South Carolina$3,4471.2%
North Carolina$3,4061.1%
West Virginia$3,4061.8%
Montana$3,3370.8%
Iowa$3,1461.6%
Arkansas$3,1151.5%
South Dakota$3,1051.3%
Alabama$2,9861.4%
Oklahoma$2,8931.5%
Kentucky$2,8021.4%
Kansas$2,7931.0%
Nebraska$2,7811.2%
Mississippi$2,7561.0%
Wyoming$2,5890.7%
North Dakota$2,5011.0%
Indiana$2,2000.9%
Missouri$2,0610.8%

States with no transfer taxes

One of the expenses that adds to closing costs is real estate transfer taxes, which cover the cost of transferring a title or deed from the seller to the buyer. However, some states do not charge a transfer tax:

  • Alaska
  • Idaho
  • Indiana
  • Kansas
  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • New Mexico
  • North Dakota
  • Oregon (most counties)
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Wyoming

Markets with the highest average closing costs

Markets with the highest average closing costs with taxes

(*With taxes) Source: ClosingCorp
1. Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts$28,724
2. Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, Washington$16,003
3. Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware$15,723
4. Dover, Delaware$13,799
5. New York-Newark-Jersey City, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania$13,596

Markets with the highest average closing costs without taxes

(*Without taxes) Source: ClosingCorp
1. Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, California$7,063
2. Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, Hawaii$7,016
3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California$6,412
4. Santa Cruz-Watsonville, California$6,363
5. Stockton, California$6,137

FAQs

  • Closing costs are the fees and charges associated with completing a real estate sale. For homebuyers, the costs mostly cover lender-related fees (such as charges for loan origination and credit checks), professional fees for services like the home inspection and legal representation, as well as filing or recording fees for necessary paperwork. Home sellers have their own closing costs to cover too.

  • Most of the time, both the buyer and seller pay closing costs of some form. The specific fees and expenses will vary by location, financing, price and other factors.

  • The amount varies widely depending on what state you’re in, the price of the home and other factors. For homebuyers, the fees typically add up to between 2 and 5 percent of the loan amount, according to data from Freddie Mac.

  • Though many of these fees are fixed, many closing costs are also negotiable. There might be some wiggle room with your lender regarding their fees, for example. You could strategically plan your closing date, as well, to lower the upfront per diem interest costs on the mortgage.

Average Closing Costs | Bankrate (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for calculating closing costs? ›

Closing costs are typically 3% – 6% of the loan amount. This means that if you take out a mortgage worth $200,000, you can expect to add closing costs of about $6,000 – $12,000 to your total cost. Closing costs don't include your down payment, but you may be able to negotiate them.

How much are closing costs in NY for buyers? ›

Buyer closing costs in NYC are between 1.5% to 6% of the purchase price. Buyer closing costs are higher for condos vs. co-ops, and closing costs are the highest for new developments (also known as sponsor units). The largest buyer [...]

How much is the closing cost in TN? ›

In Tennessee, buyers can generally expect closing costs to be around 5% of the home's purchase price. This percentage encompasses a range of fees, including but not limited to, loan origination fees, appraisal fees, title insurance, escrow fees, and prepaid items such as property taxes and homeowners insurance.

Who pays most closing costs? ›

Typically, homebuyers pay around 2 percent to 5 percent of the home's sale price in closing fees, while sellers pay slightly more — between 6 percent and 10 percent of the home's price — when you factor in real estate agent commissions.

How much down payment for a 500k house? ›

Conforming loan down payments can vary from 3% to 20% or more, so for a $500,000 home, you'd need between $15,000 and $100,000. Conforming loans, once again, follow Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines and usually offer competitive terms.

What determines the amount of closing costs? ›

Closing costs typically range from 3% to 6% of the loan amount. 1 Thus, if you buy a $200,000 house, your closing costs could range from $6,000 to $12,000. Closing fees vary depending on your state, loan type, and mortgage lender.

Who pays NYS transfer tax buyer or seller? ›

The base tax and additional base tax are paid by the grantor (seller), and such tax shall not be paid directly or indirectly by the grantee (buyer) except as provided in a contract between seller and buyer. However, if the seller doesn't pay the tax, or is exempt from the tax, the buyer must pay the tax.

How much is NYS transfer tax? ›

FAQ. How much are NYC & NYS seller transfer taxes? The combined NYC and NYS Transfer Tax for sellers is between 1.4% and 2.075% depending on the sale price.

How much are closing costs in Buffalo, NY? ›

The actual amount of closing costs in Buffalo, NY will vary depending upon the total cost of the purchase. In general, the buyer can expect to pay 2-5 percent of the purchase price, while the seller should budget for somewhere between 8-10 percent of the final selling price.

What are the highest closing costs? ›

Key takeaways

Washington, D.C. has the highest average closing costs in the country, while Missouri has the lowest. Homebuyers can potentially negotiate certain closing costs to lower their upfront costs.

How much do sellers usually come down on a house? ›

The amount you may want to reduce your home's asking price depends on many factors, including the median price in your area, what comparable homes nearby are selling for and the length of time the home has been on the market. According to a Zillow study, the average price cut is 2.9 percent of the list price.

What credit score is needed to buy a house in TN? ›

Minimum Credit Score - The credit score of everyone on your loan application must be at least 640. If you do not know your credit store, your lender can check for you. If your credit score does not meet the minimum requirement, you can work with a THDA-Approved Counselor to improve your score.

Who might attend a closing? ›

On closing day itself, the homebuyer must sign lots of paperwork that finalizes the deal. Often there are many other parties present for closing day, including the seller, the lender, real estate agents, the closing agent and often an attorney who will also review the paperwork being signed.

Who incurs most of the closing costs? ›

Closing costs are paid according to the terms of the purchase contract made between the buyer and seller. Usually the buyer pays for most of the closing costs, but there are instances when the seller may have to pay some fees at closing too.

What are the disadvantages of the seller paying closing costs? ›

Lower Net Proceeds: The most apparent disadvantage for the seller is the reduction in net proceeds from the sale. Closing costs can include a variety of fees, taxes, and other expenses, which can add up to a significant amount. By covering these costs, the seller receives less money from the transaction.

What is the formula for closing amount? ›

Closing stock = Opening stock + Direct expenses - Cost of goods sold.

What is a closing formula? ›

Closing Stock Formula. The Closing Stock or the closing inventory Formula is Opening Stock + Purchases – Cost of Goods Sold. We need to add the cost of beginning inventory or the opening inventory to the cost of purchases during the period. This is the cost of goods which will be available for sale.

What is the formula for closing capital? ›

Closing Capital + Drawings - Additional Capital - Opening Capital = Profits Closing Capital = Opening Capital+ Additional Capital + Profits - Drawings Closing Capital = 90,000 + 4 0 ,000 + 2 5 ,000 - 17,000 Closing Capital = Rs 1,38,000.

What is the formula for the closing balance? ›

Closing balance - the closing balance is the amount of money the business has at the end of the reporting period, usually the last day of the month: closing balance = net cash flow + opening balance.

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