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

Investment in residential properties by private businesses and people. ...

(1) Flooring in a structure. (2) Open structure with flooring erected outside a main building. A deck can have different levels with direct access to the main structure. It is usually ...

That part of a roof which projects beyond the sides of the building. The eaves keep rain overflow of the sides of a building structure and seal the roof rafters. ...

A knowledgeable person authorized to aid in the underwriting of property and casualty insurance. ...

Two or more authorized brokers who agree to cooperate together representing a principal for the completion of a real property sale. ...

lender who charges an exorbitant interest rate, which is typically illegal because it exceeds the interest rate allowed in the state. A borrower may go to a loan shark if he cannot obtain ...

Regulation of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) establishing the criteria to avoid a private offering. For example, John wants to sell shares in an apartment house to several ...

When an Appraisal is done, its ultimate goal is to define a Market Value for that property. So, in short, market value is the value of a real estate property in a free competitive ...

The Latin term pro rata has a significant meaning in legal, real estate as well as job industries. To define pro rata, anyone can take a quick vocabulary lesson. Any element that is split ...

Popular Real Estate Questions