Buyers usually pay 2% to 5% of the loan amount in closing costs once prepaid interest, insurance and escrow deposits are counted. Sellers usually give up 6% to 9% of the sale price, mostly to agent commissions and transfer taxes. Where you live matters more than almost anything else: the same $400,000 house can cost a few thousand dollars to close in Texas and well over $10,000 in Delaware or New York.
Use the calculator below to see your own numbers. Pick your state and it fills in an approximate transfer tax rate, property tax rate and local customs, such as who usually pays for the owner’s title policy. Every field can be changed.
Closing Costs Calculator
Estimate what you will pay at closing as a buyer, or what you will walk away with as a seller. Every default is editable.
| Item | Typical | Range |
|---|
Cash to close = down payment + closing costs + prepaid interest, insurance and escrow deposits. Lender credits, seller concessions and earnest money already paid would lower it. Your lender’s Loan Estimate is the final word.
| Item | Typical | Range |
|---|
Net proceeds = sale price minus mortgage payoff and all selling costs. Payoff amounts include interest to the closing date, so request an exact payoff letter from your lender.
Estimates use 2026 national fee ranges and approximate state transfer tax and property tax rates. Local rates, county fees and lender charges vary. Not legal, tax or financial advice.
What the calculator includes
On the buyer side, closing costs fall into two buckets. The first is fees: lender charges for origination and underwriting, the appraisal, credit report, title search and title insurance, the settlement or escrow fee, recording fees, and in some states a closing attorney and transfer tax. The second is prepaid items: mortgage interest from closing day to the end of that month, your first year of homeowners insurance, and a few months of property tax and insurance deposited into escrow. Prepaids pay bills you would owe anyway, but you still need the cash on closing day.
On the seller side, agent compensation is usually the biggest line. Since the 2024 National Association of Realtors settlement, what a seller pays the buyer's agent is negotiated deal by deal, so enter whatever your listing agreement says. Transfer taxes, the owner's title policy where sellers customarily buy it, settlement fees and the property tax proration make up most of the rest.
Why your state changes the bill so much
Transfer taxes range from zero in states like Texas, Missouri and Indiana to a combined 4% in Delaware, usually split between buyer and seller. In LodeStar Software Solutions' 2025 data, purchase closing costs including taxes averaged about $4,661 nationally, but topped $17,500 in Washington, D.C. and $13,700 in New York, while South Dakota came in near $1,550. States that expect a closing attorney add another $600 to $1,600.
| Situation | What changes |
|---|---|
| No transfer tax (TX, MO, IN, OR and others) | Closing costs are mostly lender and title fees |
| High transfer tax (DE, PA, DC, NY over $1M) | Transfer and mansion taxes can exceed all other fees combined |
| Attorney states (NY, MA, GA, SC, NC and others) | Adds a closing attorney fee |
| Cash purchase | No lender fees, appraisal or escrow deposits |
Five ways to bring the number down
- Compare Loan Estimates from at least three lenders. Lender fees vary more than any other line, and the standard Loan Estimate form makes them easy to compare.
- Shop the title and settlement company where your state allows it. Your Loan Estimate lists the services you can shop for.
- Ask for seller concessions in a slower market. A credit toward your costs is often easier to win than a lower price.
- Close near the end of the month to cut prepaid interest, which covers only the days left in that month.
- Look for closing cost assistance from your state housing finance agency if you are a first-time buyer.
Frequently asked questions
How much are closing costs on a $400,000 house?
For a buyer with a conventional loan, fees typically run about $5,000 to $9,000 depending on the state, plus several thousand more in prepaid insurance, interest and escrow deposits. A seller typically pays $24,000 to $36,000, mostly agent commissions and transfer tax.
Can closing costs be rolled into the mortgage?
On a purchase, usually not directly, but you can take a slightly higher rate in exchange for a lender credit, or negotiate a seller credit. FHA upfront mortgage insurance and the VA funding fee are normally financed into the loan.
Who pays closing costs, the buyer or the seller?
Each side pays its own set of costs. Buyers pay most lender, appraisal and prepaid costs. Sellers pay agent compensation and, in most states, all or part of the transfer tax. Local custom decides items like the owner's title policy, and everything is negotiable in the contract.
When will I know my exact closing costs?
Your lender must send a Loan Estimate within three business days of your application and a Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing. The Closing Disclosure shows the final figures.
More free calculators
How this calculator works: fee ranges come from 2026 national lender, title and settlement pricing, LodeStar Software Solutions closing cost data, and published state transfer tax and effective property tax rates, rounded for simplicity. Transfer taxes can vary by county and city, and some states offer first-time buyer exemptions. Figures are estimates as of October 2026, not a Loan Estimate. See our disclaimer.
