As home prices in some states return to bubble levels, and mortgage rates reach multiyear lows, the rush to buy homes in some regions has accelerated. One of the things home buyers do not always pay attention to is home closing costs.
Bankrate analyzed closing costs in all 50 states, but to some extent, their criteria are very limited. The analysis assumes, for example, that the buyer has excellent credit and makes a 20% down payment. This is certainly not the case for many, many home buyers: not every buyer has excellent credit, and for expensive homes, or homes bought by people with poor credit, the down payment may be much higher.
Using the Bankrate data, 24/7 picked the top five cities with highest closing costs, as well as the five least expensive. The five states where closing costs are highest, along with the average costs, are:
- Hawaii: $2,655
- New York: $2,560
- North Carolina: $2,409
- Delaware: $2,358
- Connecticut: $2,313
The five states where closing costs are lowest are:
- Pennsylvania: $1,837
- Wisconsin: $1,863
- Kentucky: $1,874
- South Dakota: $1,904
- Oklahoma: $1,911
Methodology: Bankrate surveyed up to 10 lenders in each state in June 2016 and obtained online loan estimates for a $200,000 mortgage to buy a single-family home with a 20% down payment in a prominent city. Costs include fees charged by lenders, as well as third-party fees for services such as appraisals and credit reports. The survey excludes title insurance, title search, taxes, property insurance, association fees, interest and other prepaid items.
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