Buyers: Don’t Forget About Closing Costs

Roanoke Real Estate Podcast with Damon Gettier

Coming in at No. 5 on our list of the six things you should never do when purchasing a home is forgetting closing costs. I don’t like the term “closing costs” when referring to the amount you’ll pay when closing on a home, though, because it should actually be called “cost to close.” In our contracts, closing costs refer to the attorney fees, survey fees, settlement fees, etc., that you’ll pay. Your cost to close, on the other hand, means your prepaid fees, insurance fees, and taxes. So when you get a quote from a lender and they say that the cost to close will be $6,000 and you get another quote from another lender that says your closing costs are $3,000, the latter is quoting you what your actual closing costs are, but not the money you need to close. “The less you pay for a house, the higher your closing costs will be.” This is why, when comparing mortgages, you need to ask your agent or lender what your total cost to close will be—not what your closings costs are. Forget about your closing costs—quoting that amount is a ploy some lenders use to get you to sign with them. It’s not until later, then, that the truth comes out. It’s also important to remember that the less you pay for a house, the higher your closing costs will be because, percentage-wise, it’s a fixed cost. Therefore, the more you pay for a house, the lower your closing costs will be. In our market, if your home is under $200,000, your closing costs will be about 3.75% to 4% of that price. If you have any more questions about closing costs or you have any other real estate questions for me, don’t hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d be happy to help you.