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Closing Cost Calculator

Estimate buyer and seller closing costs by state. See itemized fees, prepaids, transfer tax, agent commissions, and negotiate to save thousands.

$
%
Conventional: 3-20%, FHA: 3.5%, VA: 0%
Title insurance and transfer tax vary by state
Each point = 1% of loan amount, lowers rate ~0.25%
$
Credits from lender toward closing costs (higher rate)
%
CA avg: 0.75%, NJ: 2.2%, TX: 1.8%, HI: 0.3%

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How to Use This Calculator

Buyer Closing Costs tab

The default tab. Enter your home price, down payment percentage, state, and loan type (conventional, FHA, or VA). The calculator shows a full itemized breakdown: origination, appraisal, title insurance, escrow, recording fees, prepaids, and loan-specific fees (FHA MIP, VA funding fee). Expand "More options" to adjust discount points, lender credits, and property tax rate.

Seller Closing Costs tab

Enter your sale price, state, agent commission, and remaining mortgage. See itemized seller costs including agent fees, transfer tax, title insurance, prorated taxes, and escrow. The bottom line shows your net proceeds after all costs and mortgage payoff.

Negotiate & Save tab

See how much you can save through negotiation. Compare a no-closing-cost mortgage (higher rate, lender pays costs) with the break-even month. Add seller concessions, shop negotiable items, and see your total potential savings.

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How Closing Costs Are Calculated

Closing costs include lender fees, third-party services, government fees, and prepaid items:

Total Buyer Closing Costs = Lender Fees + Third-Party Fees + Government Fees + Prepaids

Lender Fees: Origination (0.5-1% of loan) + discount points
Third-Party: Appraisal ($400-$700) + title insurance (0.5-1% of price) + escrow ($500-$2,000)
Government: Recording fees ($50-$250) + transfer tax (varies by state)
Prepaids: Property taxes (2-6 months) + insurance (12 months) + interest (15 days avg)

Cash Needed at Closing = Down Payment + Closing Costs - Lender Credits

Typical range: 2-5% of the home price (ClosingCorp 2026 data). A $400,000 home in California typically has $10,000-$20,000 in buyer closing costs depending on loan type and prepaids.

For sellers, the largest cost is agent commission (4.5-5.5% post-NAR settlement), followed by transfer tax and title insurance.

Example

Marcus and Lisa — buying a $400,000 home in California

Marcus and Lisa are buying a $400,000 home in California with 20% down ($80,000). Their conventional loan is $320,000.

Buyer closing costs breakdown

Loan origination (0.75%)$2,400
Appraisal$550
Title insurance$2,200
Escrow/closing fee$1,500
Recording fees$150
Prepaid property taxes (3 months)$1,100
Prepaid homeowners insurance (12 months)$1,400
Prepaid interest (15 days)$854
Total closing costs (~2.5%)$10,154
Cash needed at closing$90,154

Their total cash needed: $80,000 down payment + $10,154 closing costs = $90,154. By shopping title insurance and negotiating the origination fee, they could save $1,500-$2,500.

Transfer Tax by State (Top 15)

Transfer tax (also called deed tax or excise tax) is paid when property changes hands. Rates vary dramatically by state:

State Rate per $1,000 On $400K home
Washington D.C.$11.00$4,400
Pennsylvania$10.00$4,000
Michigan$8.60$3,440
Connecticut$7.50$3,000
New Hampshire$7.50$3,000
Vermont$7.50$3,000
Florida$7.00$2,800
Maryland$5.00$2,000
New Jersey$5.00$2,000
Rhode Island$4.60$1,840
Massachusetts$4.56$1,824
Delaware$4.00$1,600
New York$4.00 + mansion tax$1,600+
Tennessee$3.70$1,480
California$1.10$440
TX, AZ, ID, IN, KS, LA, MO, MS, MT, NM, ND, OR, UT, WY$0$0

Note: Some states split transfer tax between buyer and seller. New York adds a 1% mansion tax on sales above $1M. Local municipalities may add additional transfer taxes.

FAQ

Closing costs are fees and expenses paid at the end of a real estate transaction, beyond the home’s purchase price. For buyers, they typically include lender fees (origination, appraisal), third-party services (title insurance, escrow), government fees (recording, transfer tax), and prepaid items (property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage interest). Buyer closing costs typically range 2-5% of the home price.
Both buyers and sellers pay closing costs, but for different items. Buyers pay lender-related fees, prepaids, and title insurance (lender’s policy). Sellers typically pay agent commissions (the largest cost at 4.5-5.5%), transfer tax, title insurance (owner’s policy), and their half of escrow. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, buyer agent commissions are negotiable and not always seller-paid.
Yes. Several closing costs are negotiable: the loan origination fee (shop 3+ lenders), title insurance (shop independently — prices vary 20-40%), escrow fees, and home inspection. You can also ask for seller concessions (seller pays part of your costs), accept lender credits (higher rate in exchange for lower upfront costs), or negotiate discount points. Use the Negotiate & Save tab to estimate potential savings.
A no-closing-cost mortgage means the lender covers your closing costs in exchange for a higher interest rate (typically 0.125-0.375% higher). You pay less upfront but more per month over the life of the loan. This makes sense if you plan to sell or refinance within a few years — the “break-even month” tells you when the higher monthly cost exceeds what you saved on closing costs.
FHA loans require an upfront mortgage insurance premium (MIP) of 1.75% of the loan amount, added to closing costs. On a $300,000 loan, that’s $5,250 extra. VA loans charge a funding fee of 2.15% for first-time use with less than 5% down ($6,450 on $300K). Veterans with service-connected disabilities are exempt from the VA funding fee. Both loan types allow seller concessions (FHA: up to 6%, VA: up to 4%).

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