What you actually need
at the closing table.
Closing costs are cash you need beyond the down payment. Typically 2-5% of the home price, varying by state. This calculator estimates the buyer side with state-specific assumptions for the biggest variance items.
State note: FL: deed doc stamps are customarily seller-paid statewide; the contract decides. A financing buyer pays doc stamps on the note ($0.35 per $100 of the loan, Fla. Stat. 201.08) and intangible tax (0.2% of the loan, Fla. Stat. 199.133). A cash buyer pays neither.
What's in your closing costs
The line items that add up.
Lender fees cover the work of underwriting your loan, origination, application, processing, credit report. Typically ~1% of the loan amount, sometimes negotiable.
Title insurance protects both you + the lender against undiscovered claims on the property. Premium is set by state regulation in most places + paid once at closing. Two policies (lender + owner) are typical.
Transfer tax / doc stampsis the biggest state-by-state variance. Florida charges 0.7% of the deed (typically buyer in our markets by custom, verify your contract). New York has the famous "mansion tax" (1% over $1M). Texas charges nothing.
Inspection + appraisalcover the third-party assessments lenders require. Inspection ($350-700) is for your protection; appraisal ($400-700) is for the lender's. Both are paid before closing, not at the table, but they're cash you need.
Pre-paid escrow seeds your tax + insurance escrow account so the lender can pay these on your behalf. Typically 2-3 months of each, paid at closing.
Recording fees + small chargesare the long tail, survey, deed prep, courier, notary, wire fee. Usually $500-1,500 combined.
Get a Loan Estimate
Federal TRID rules require lenders to issue an itemized closing-cost disclosure within 3 business days of your loan application. Get connected with a local lender who can walk you through the numbers.
Try the affordability math first → How much can I afford?