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

Map delineating property values over a designated area. Land value maps are usually developed by a governmental planning agency. ...

Region or locality that assesses real estate taxes on the properties located within its borders. Frequently, the local county or city is the property taxing jurisdiction which is empowered, ...

Real estate broker specializing in the listing and selling of commercial property. This property can include apartments, businesses, hotels, industrial, retail or wholesale uses. ...

Standard days when an organization is open and conducts business. Business days exclude weekends and holidays. ...

Bond whose interest is free of federal, state, or local tax in the state of the issuer. It is typically a municipal bond of estate or county agency. For example, a New York City resident ...

People often use the term in their everyday discourse, yet many wonder what the meaning of common law genuinely implies. Common law refers to a system of jurisprudence based on court ...

Accumulation of housing units deemed substitutable by homogeneous households, such as those having comparable attractiveness and usefulness. ...

Have you heard someone talking about a 35-percent rule of thumb and you nodded acknowledging but the truth is that you had NO idea what in the world a “35-percent rule of thumb” ...

Certificates that pass-through principal and interest payments to investors. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions