What are the average closing costs for a buyer?

by Lena and Rich Benenati 01/26/2025

When preparing for a new home purchase, it’s crucial to plan for the average closing costs for buyer hopefuls on a budget. Closing costs are made up of various service charges associated with the entire home buying process, including appraisals and title paperwork. Because closing costs can add up to thousands of dollars, it’s helpful to prepare for the expense.

Here are some of the most common types of closing costs associated with buying a new home:

Appraisal fee

Appraisal fees cover the cost of a professional home appraisal to determine the value of the property. This cost can depend on the size of your home, but generally comes to somewhere between $300 and $400.

Home inspection fee

Professional home inspection fees usually cost a few hundred dollars. While inspections are technically an optional part of the home buying process, most buyers require them to find out if there are any major issues with a home before buying.

Loan origination fee

Mortgage lenders can charge an origination fee for creating the loan itself. This closing cost can vary from one lender to the next, but frequently comes to around 1% of the amount of the mortgage loan.

Title search

The title for your new home needs to be examined for any possible issues such as tax liens. The fee for a title search is typically between $400 and $500 paid to your mortgage lender.

Title insurance

Title insurance is required by lenders to cover the cost of any issues discovered with the property title. Similar to mortgage insurance, this policy protects the lender rather than the buyer. Title insurance often costs around 1% of the total loan amount.

These are not all the possible closing costs for buyers to prepare for. However, these are the most commonly associated with your new home. Inquire with your mortgage lender for more information about additional fees to prepare your budget accordingly.

About the Author
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Lena and Rich Benenati

Lena and I have been helping our clients buy and sell real estate since 2002, marking over 26 years of combined market experience! We will earn your trust by utilizing proven marketing strategies, certified professional negotiating skills, and targeted technology. Add to this our local market insight and consistent follow up, and it adds up to a great experience for you! A family owned and operated business, we strive to be your trusted adviser, helping you navigate the home buying and selling processes. It is our mission to combine our extensive experience and superior customer service together with a positive attitude to ensure that you enjoy your buying or selling experience. Our customer service extends beyond the sale, providing you with useful information regularly and connecting you with the resources you need, when you need them. This is why an exceptionally high 80% of our business is referred to us by our past clients. We look forward to exceeding your expectations, in English or Spanish as you desire. Lena & Rich, a team you can trust, for everything real estate.