Definition of "Closing costs"

- What are the closing costs?

Closing costs are the fees and expenses paid during Closing. They are not included in the final purchase price of the property.

- How much are the closing costs?

Normally, the closing fees are somewhere between 2 to 5 percent of the final purchase price of the property.

- What is included in the closing costs?

That varies from state to state, the type of property in question and the type of loan the bank gave to the home buyer. But here is a list of expenses typically included:

Application fee
Appraisal
Credit report
Escrow fee
Home Owner Association’s Transfer Fee
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

And many more…

- Who pays the closing costs?

Typically the home buyer, but you can try to negotiate with the Home Seller. Some Home Sellers do accept to share or even assume this burden, most of the times deducting it from the final purchase price of the property. That's why Understanding the Housing Market on your Own is important. If you're in a Buyer's Market, a Home Seller will likely cede in order to sell his house once and for all.

 

Real Estate tips:

Take a look at our Glossary to find other terms and kick your real estate vocabulary up to a new level!

Also search through The Official Real Estate Agent Directory® to find a trustworthy agent to help you in all stages of a home sale.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

The assessment in real estate definition means the evaluation of a property’s value by an assessor. They are generally required to evaluate the property annually as the assessment is ...

Has not been registered on the companies books. It belongs to the person holding it. See also bearer bond; bearer instrument. ...

Same as term financial institutions and markets: Institutions acting as intermediaries between suppliers and users of money. The financial markets are where those wanting funds are matched ...

The term statute is a written law that is adopted by a legislative body from the country, federal, state, county, or city level. The statute definition can be a legislative written decree ...

Person leaving from work to spend time in leisure activities. pay in full the balance on a debt either at or before the maturity date. Penalties may be assessed on prepaying a mortgage. ...

Expenditures paid for in advance such as property insurance, rent, and interest. Prepaid expenses are not used or consumed until later. They are typically of a recurring nature. ...

Use of other people's money (OPM) in an attempt to maximize the return but at high risk. The use of leverage in real estate investing is a way to maximize yield on a small down payment. ...

The add-on interest is a type of interest that is figured into the total cost of a loan over its entire life. The interest is added to the principal and divided by the number of monthly ...

Giving one's approval to another, e.g., a fiduciary, to manage his or her finances. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions