Most people associate settlement costs with mortgage loan charges. These fees and charges vary, so it pays to shop around for the best combination of mortgage terms and settlement costs. Mortgage-related costs that may apply to your loan include the following items.
Application fee
Imposed by your lender or broker, this charge covers the initial costs of processing your loan request and checking your credit report.
Estimated cost: $75 to $300, including the cost of the credit report for each applicant
Loan origination fee
The origination fee (also called underwriting fee, administrative fee, or processing fee) is charged for the lender’s work in evaluating and preparing your mortgage loan. This fee can cover the lender’s attorney’s fees, document preparation costs, notary fees, and so forth.
Estimated cost: 1% to 1.5% of the loan amount
Points
Points are a one-time charge imposed by the lender, usually to reduce the interest rate of your loan. One point equals 1% of the loan amount. For example, 1 point on a $100,000 loan would be $1,000. In some cases--especially in refinancing--the points can be financed by adding them to the amount that you borrow. However, if you pay the points at settlement, they are deductible on your income taxes in the year they are paid (different deduction rules apply when you refinance or purchase a second home). In your purchase offer, you may want to negotiate with the seller to have the seller pay your points.
Estimated cost: 0% to 3% of the loan amount
Appraisal fee
Lenders want to be sure that the property is worth at least as much as the loan amount. This fee pays for an appraisal of the home you want to purchase or refinance. Some lenders and brokers include the appraisal fee as part of the application fee; you can ask the lender for a copy of your appraisal. If you are refinancing and you have had a recent appraisal, some lenders may waive the requirement for a new appraisal.
Estimated cost: $300 to $700
Lender-required home inspection fees
The lender may require a termite inspection and an analysis of the structural condition of the property by an engineer or consultant. In rural areas, lenders may require a septic system test and a water test to make sure the well and water system will maintain an adequate supply of water for the house (this is usually a test for quantity, not for water quality; your county health department may require a water quality test as well, but this test may be paid for outside of the settlement). Keep in mind that this inspection is for the benefit of the lender; you may want to request your own inspection to make sure the property is in good condition.
Estimated costs: $175 to $350
Prepaid interest
Your first regular mortgage payment is usually due about 6 to 8 weeks after you settle (for example, if you settle in August, your first regular payment will be due on October 1; the October payment covers the cost of borrowing the money for the month of September). Interest costs, however, start as soon as you settle. The lender will calculate how much interest you owe for the part of the month in which you settle (for example, if you settle on August 16, you would owe interest for 15 days--August 16 through 31).
Estimated cost: Depends on loan amount, interest rate, and the number of days for which interest must be paid (for example, a $120,000 loan at 6% for 15 days, about $300; a $142,500 loan at 6% for 15 days, about $356)
Private mortgage insurance (PMI)
If your down payment is less than 20% of the value of the house, the lender will usually require mortgage insurance. The insurance policy covers the lender’s risk in the event that you do not make the loan payments. Typically, you will pay a monthly premium along with each month’s mortgage payment. Your private MI can be canceled at your request, in writing, when you reach 20% equity in your home, based on your original purchase price, if your mortgage payments are current and you have a good payment history. By federal law your private MI payments will automatically stop when you acquire 22% equity in your home, based on the original appraised value of the house, as long as your mortgage payments are current.
Estimated cost: 0.5% to 1.5% of the loan amount to pre-pay for the first year
Some lenders will pay for private MI--called lender’s private mortgage insurance (LPMI)--and in turn will charge a higher interest rate. Unlike private MI that you pay, there is no automatic cancellation once you acquire 22% equity. To eliminate the LPMI, you must refinance the loan, which in turn means carefully considering market interest rates and settlement costs at the time to see if refinancing would be an advantage, rather than keeping your current mortgage.
FHA, VA, or RHS fees
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) offers insured mortgages and the Veterans Administration (VA) and the Rural Housing Service (RHS) offer mortgage guarantees. If you are getting a mortgage insured by the FHA or guaranteed by the VA or the RHS, you will have to pay FHA mortgage insurance premiums or VA or RHS guarantee fees. As with Private MI, insurance premium payments will stop when you acquire 22% equity in your home. FHA fees are about 1.5% of the loan amount. VA guarantee fees range from 1.25% to 2% of the loan amount, depending on the size of your down payment (the higher your down payment, the lower the fee percentage). RHS fees are 1.75% of the loan amount.
Homeowner’s insurance
Your lender will require that you have a homeowner’s insurance policy (sometimes called hazard insurance) in effect at settlement. The policy protects against physical damage to the house by fire, wind, vandalism, and other causes. This insures that the lender’s investment will be secured even if the house is destroyed. If you are buying a condominium, the hazard insurance may be part of your monthly condominium fee; you may still want homeowner’s insurance for your furnishings and valuables.
Estimated cost: $300 to $1,000 (depending on the value of the home and the amount of coverage; you can estimate the cost to be about $3.50 per $1,000 of the purchase price of the home)
Flood determination fee
If your home is in a flood hazard area where federally subsidized flood insurance is available, lenders cannot make a mortgage loan for your home unless you buy flood insurance. Your lender may charge a fee to find out whether the home is in a flood hazard area.
Estimated cost: $15 to $50 (this is not the cost for the flood insurance; flood insurance, if required, would be in addition to your homeowner's insurance and may cost from $350 to $2,800 depending on location and property value)
Escrow (or reserve) funds
Some lenders require that you set aside money in an escrow (reserve) account to pay for property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and flood insurance (if you need it). Lenders use escrow funds to ensure that these items are paid on time to protect their interest in your home. With an escrow account, money is held by the lender or the lender’s agent, who then pays the taxes and insurance bills when they are due. At settlement, you may need to provide some payment into this account, depending on when payments will be due. For example, if you are buying your home in August and property taxes are due the following January, you will need to deposit funds into your escrow account at settlement so that you have enough to pay the taxes when they become due in January.
Survey costs
Lenders require a survey to confirm the location of buildings and improvements on the land. Some lenders require a complete (and more costly) survey to ensure that the house and other structures are legally where you and the seller say they are.
Estimated cost: $150 to $400
Other miscellaneous settlement costs
Depending upon the location and type of property, and the extra services you or your lender request, you may also have to pay some of the following fees at settlement:
Assumption fee
If you are assuming (or taking over) an existing mortgage, the lender may charge a fee.
Estimated cost: Depends on the lender, but will range from several hundred dollars to 1% of the amount of the loan you are assuming
Expenses prorated between the seller and the buyer
In your purchase contract, you may agree to split some costs with the seller. In addition to prorated property taxes, some of these expenses may involve large amounts. For example, annual condominium fees, homeowners’ association fees, water bills, and other lump-sum service charges may be split between you and the seller to cover your respective periods of ownership for the calendar year or tax period.
Inspections
As a buyer, if you make your purchase offer contingent on the results of a home inspection--such as testing for structural damage, water quality, and radon gas emissions--you will have to pay for these inspections.
Escrow account funds
In the purchase contract, you can request that the seller set up an escrow account to cover any costs for repairs, radon mitigation, house painting, or other items. For example, if you have not had a chance to test all the appliances (for instance, if you buy in the summer, you may not test the furnace), you may request an escrow account to cover repairs if they are needed in the future. The seller may agree to split the costs with you, in which case you would need these funds at settlement.
Fees paid to find a lender
As a buyer, you may work with a mortgage broker or other third party to find a mortgage loan. For example, you may want to work with a broker to find a loan with nonstandard terms or conditions. Brokers arrange transactions rather than lending money directly; in other words, they find a lender for you. Brokers will generally contact several lenders regarding your application, but they are not obligated to find the best deal for you unless they have contracted with you to act as your agent.
Estimated cost: Depends on agreement with the broker; can range from no fee to a percentage of the loan amount
Application fee
Imposed by your lender or broker, this charge covers the initial costs of processing your loan request and checking your credit report.
Estimated cost: $75 to $300, including the cost of the credit report for each applicant
Loan origination fee
The origination fee (also called underwriting fee, administrative fee, or processing fee) is charged for the lender’s work in evaluating and preparing your mortgage loan. This fee can cover the lender’s attorney’s fees, document preparation costs, notary fees, and so forth.
Estimated cost: 1% to 1.5% of the loan amount
Points
Points are a one-time charge imposed by the lender, usually to reduce the interest rate of your loan. One point equals 1% of the loan amount. For example, 1 point on a $100,000 loan would be $1,000. In some cases--especially in refinancing--the points can be financed by adding them to the amount that you borrow. However, if you pay the points at settlement, they are deductible on your income taxes in the year they are paid (different deduction rules apply when you refinance or purchase a second home). In your purchase offer, you may want to negotiate with the seller to have the seller pay your points.
Estimated cost: 0% to 3% of the loan amount
Appraisal fee
Lenders want to be sure that the property is worth at least as much as the loan amount. This fee pays for an appraisal of the home you want to purchase or refinance. Some lenders and brokers include the appraisal fee as part of the application fee; you can ask the lender for a copy of your appraisal. If you are refinancing and you have had a recent appraisal, some lenders may waive the requirement for a new appraisal.
Estimated cost: $300 to $700
Lender-required home inspection fees
The lender may require a termite inspection and an analysis of the structural condition of the property by an engineer or consultant. In rural areas, lenders may require a septic system test and a water test to make sure the well and water system will maintain an adequate supply of water for the house (this is usually a test for quantity, not for water quality; your county health department may require a water quality test as well, but this test may be paid for outside of the settlement). Keep in mind that this inspection is for the benefit of the lender; you may want to request your own inspection to make sure the property is in good condition.
Estimated costs: $175 to $350
Prepaid interest
Your first regular mortgage payment is usually due about 6 to 8 weeks after you settle (for example, if you settle in August, your first regular payment will be due on October 1; the October payment covers the cost of borrowing the money for the month of September). Interest costs, however, start as soon as you settle. The lender will calculate how much interest you owe for the part of the month in which you settle (for example, if you settle on August 16, you would owe interest for 15 days--August 16 through 31).
Estimated cost: Depends on loan amount, interest rate, and the number of days for which interest must be paid (for example, a $120,000 loan at 6% for 15 days, about $300; a $142,500 loan at 6% for 15 days, about $356)
Private mortgage insurance (PMI)
If your down payment is less than 20% of the value of the house, the lender will usually require mortgage insurance. The insurance policy covers the lender’s risk in the event that you do not make the loan payments. Typically, you will pay a monthly premium along with each month’s mortgage payment. Your private MI can be canceled at your request, in writing, when you reach 20% equity in your home, based on your original purchase price, if your mortgage payments are current and you have a good payment history. By federal law your private MI payments will automatically stop when you acquire 22% equity in your home, based on the original appraised value of the house, as long as your mortgage payments are current.
Estimated cost: 0.5% to 1.5% of the loan amount to pre-pay for the first year
Some lenders will pay for private MI--called lender’s private mortgage insurance (LPMI)--and in turn will charge a higher interest rate. Unlike private MI that you pay, there is no automatic cancellation once you acquire 22% equity. To eliminate the LPMI, you must refinance the loan, which in turn means carefully considering market interest rates and settlement costs at the time to see if refinancing would be an advantage, rather than keeping your current mortgage.
FHA, VA, or RHS fees
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) offers insured mortgages and the Veterans Administration (VA) and the Rural Housing Service (RHS) offer mortgage guarantees. If you are getting a mortgage insured by the FHA or guaranteed by the VA or the RHS, you will have to pay FHA mortgage insurance premiums or VA or RHS guarantee fees. As with Private MI, insurance premium payments will stop when you acquire 22% equity in your home. FHA fees are about 1.5% of the loan amount. VA guarantee fees range from 1.25% to 2% of the loan amount, depending on the size of your down payment (the higher your down payment, the lower the fee percentage). RHS fees are 1.75% of the loan amount.
Homeowner’s insurance
Your lender will require that you have a homeowner’s insurance policy (sometimes called hazard insurance) in effect at settlement. The policy protects against physical damage to the house by fire, wind, vandalism, and other causes. This insures that the lender’s investment will be secured even if the house is destroyed. If you are buying a condominium, the hazard insurance may be part of your monthly condominium fee; you may still want homeowner’s insurance for your furnishings and valuables.
Estimated cost: $300 to $1,000 (depending on the value of the home and the amount of coverage; you can estimate the cost to be about $3.50 per $1,000 of the purchase price of the home)
Flood determination fee
If your home is in a flood hazard area where federally subsidized flood insurance is available, lenders cannot make a mortgage loan for your home unless you buy flood insurance. Your lender may charge a fee to find out whether the home is in a flood hazard area.
Estimated cost: $15 to $50 (this is not the cost for the flood insurance; flood insurance, if required, would be in addition to your homeowner's insurance and may cost from $350 to $2,800 depending on location and property value)
Escrow (or reserve) funds
Some lenders require that you set aside money in an escrow (reserve) account to pay for property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and flood insurance (if you need it). Lenders use escrow funds to ensure that these items are paid on time to protect their interest in your home. With an escrow account, money is held by the lender or the lender’s agent, who then pays the taxes and insurance bills when they are due. At settlement, you may need to provide some payment into this account, depending on when payments will be due. For example, if you are buying your home in August and property taxes are due the following January, you will need to deposit funds into your escrow account at settlement so that you have enough to pay the taxes when they become due in January.
Survey costs
Lenders require a survey to confirm the location of buildings and improvements on the land. Some lenders require a complete (and more costly) survey to ensure that the house and other structures are legally where you and the seller say they are.
Estimated cost: $150 to $400
Other miscellaneous settlement costs
Depending upon the location and type of property, and the extra services you or your lender request, you may also have to pay some of the following fees at settlement:
Assumption fee
If you are assuming (or taking over) an existing mortgage, the lender may charge a fee.
Estimated cost: Depends on the lender, but will range from several hundred dollars to 1% of the amount of the loan you are assuming
Expenses prorated between the seller and the buyer
In your purchase contract, you may agree to split some costs with the seller. In addition to prorated property taxes, some of these expenses may involve large amounts. For example, annual condominium fees, homeowners’ association fees, water bills, and other lump-sum service charges may be split between you and the seller to cover your respective periods of ownership for the calendar year or tax period.
Inspections
As a buyer, if you make your purchase offer contingent on the results of a home inspection--such as testing for structural damage, water quality, and radon gas emissions--you will have to pay for these inspections.
Escrow account funds
In the purchase contract, you can request that the seller set up an escrow account to cover any costs for repairs, radon mitigation, house painting, or other items. For example, if you have not had a chance to test all the appliances (for instance, if you buy in the summer, you may not test the furnace), you may request an escrow account to cover repairs if they are needed in the future. The seller may agree to split the costs with you, in which case you would need these funds at settlement.
Fees paid to find a lender
As a buyer, you may work with a mortgage broker or other third party to find a mortgage loan. For example, you may want to work with a broker to find a loan with nonstandard terms or conditions. Brokers arrange transactions rather than lending money directly; in other words, they find a lender for you. Brokers will generally contact several lenders regarding your application, but they are not obligated to find the best deal for you unless they have contracted with you to act as your agent.
Estimated cost: Depends on agreement with the broker; can range from no fee to a percentage of the loan amount
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