Understanding Closing Costs

by Robin Anderson Real Estate 04/25/2021

Image by Ryan R Fox from Shutterstock

It can be a stressful endeavor to purchase a home. As one of the most significant investments in life, it is important to understand the steps and fees you may encounter beyond the sale price. When you are searching for a property, keep the expense of closing in mind.

What Are Closing Costs? 

Closing costs are the various expenses and fees that are separate from the purchase price of your house. They apply to the end of the process. Charges include taxes, inspection, title insurance, and title search, as well as some upfront expenses such as homeowner’s insurance.

Closing costs generally range from two to five percent of the purchase price. The final fee is dependent on your location. Most of the expenses are for state and local government, lenders, and legal processing. You can save on some of these by working with a mortgage broker who is experienced and knowledgable about local laws.

What Should You Expect? 

  • Appraisal: This fee goes towards making sure that the price of the home matches the actual worth of the property.

  • Escrow payment: When it comes to timely preparation of the documents, you can trust a good escrow company to take care of the paperwork on your behalf. Prompt preparation of your papers can make a significant difference as it can enable you to close on time.

  • Title/attorney fee: The title and attorney fees are put in place to ensure the transfer of the home's deed occurs without issue. To ensure that it all goes smoothly, work with a highly reputable title company. 

  • Lender fees: The lender fees may include a wide range of items like transfer fees or administrative fees. A broker commission may be part of the cost.

Other fees could include loan interest and loan insurance. Your realtor can help you to save money during your closing and prepare you for the process, work closely with them to determine the fees that may be negotiable.

About the Author
Author

Robin Anderson Real Estate

“My Passion is people and relationships and I promise to provide my clients with exceptional service tailored to their individual needs.” -Robin Anderson 

Georgia native, Robin Anderson brings her passion for people and her love of homes to work for her clients. She and her husband, Andy, have been married for over 30 years and have two adult children, Ellen and Drew. They currently live in Fulton County, but Robin has lived and invested in properties throughout metro Atlanta as well as helped clients buy and sell. She has been integral to many real estate endeavors including designing and building several custom homes, remodeling homes, subdividing land, managing rental properties, and buying and selling properties. She spent her first 3 years in real estate working with a new home builder, and she has spent the last 6 years working with buyers and sellers in her own community. Robin is highly motivated but sensitive to the fact that buying and selling homes can be an emotional experience, so she makes it a priority to keep clients closely informed throughout the process and strives to produce quick results. She appreciates the opportunity to help her clients navigate the real estate process, and she aspires to deliver quality customer service that is both informative and positive. She is driven to provide outstanding service for her clients and she is focused on building successful and lasting relationships with her clients. This personalized service earns her enthusiastic referrals from clients she is pleased to call friends.Edit

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