{
    "name": "Closing Cost Estimate Calculator",
    "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/closing-cost-estimate-calculator",
    "markdown": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/closing-cost-estimate-calculator.md",
    "category": "Real estate",
    "description": "Add up lender fees, points, appraisal, title, legal, recording, transfer tax and prepaids to estimate closing costs and the cash you need at closing.",
    "summary": "Closing costs are the fees and prepaid items paid when a purchase completes, on top of the down payment. Itemising them from your quotes gives a far better estimate than a rule-of-thumb percentage.",
    "also_called": [
        "Cash to close calculator",
        "Buyer closing costs calculator"
    ],
    "applies_to": "Worldwide",
    "last_updated": "2026-10-29",
    "computation": "Results are computed in the visitor’s browser on the HTML page. This API describes the calculator; it does not compute results.",
    "inputs": [
        {
            "name": "price",
            "label": "Purchase price",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "400000"
        },
        {
            "name": "down_pct",
            "label": "Down payment",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "20",
            "unit": "%"
        },
        {
            "name": "origination_pct",
            "label": "Lender origination fee",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "1",
            "unit": "% of loan",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "points_pct",
            "label": "Discount points",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "0",
            "unit": "% of loan",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "appraisal",
            "label": "Appraisal or valuation",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "600",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "inspection",
            "label": "Inspection or survey",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "450",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "title",
            "label": "Title search and insurance",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "1800",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "legal",
            "label": "Attorney, escrow or settlement fees",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "1200",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "recording",
            "label": "Recording fees",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "250",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "transfer_pct",
            "label": "Transfer tax paid by you",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "0.5",
            "unit": "% of price",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "prepaid",
            "label": "Prepaids and escrow deposits",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "3500",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "other",
            "label": "Other fees",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "0",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "credits",
            "label": "Seller or lender credits",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "2000",
            "optional": true
        },
        {
            "name": "currency",
            "label": "Currency",
            "type": "currency",
            "default": "USD"
        }
    ],
    "outputs": [
        {
            "key": "closing_costs",
            "label": "Estimated closing costs",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "cash_to_close",
            "label": "Cash to close (down payment + costs − credits)",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "closing_pct",
            "label": "Closing costs as % of price",
            "format": "percent"
        },
        {
            "key": "loan_amount",
            "label": "Loan amount",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "loan_fees",
            "label": "Lender fees and points",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "transfer_tax",
            "label": "Transfer tax",
            "format": "currency"
        }
    ],
    "formula": {
        "text": "Loan = Price × (1 − Down%);  Closing costs = Loan × (Origination% + Points%) + Price × Transfer% + itemised fees + prepaids;  Cash to close = Down payment + Closing costs − Credits",
        "variables": {
            "Prepaids": "amounts paid in advance at closing (interest, insurance, tax reserves)",
            "Credits": "amounts the seller or lender pays towards your costs"
        }
    },
    "worked_example": {
        "inputs": {
            "price": "400000",
            "down_pct": "20",
            "origination_pct": "1",
            "points_pct": "0",
            "appraisal": "600",
            "inspection": "450",
            "title": "1800",
            "legal": "1200",
            "recording": "250",
            "transfer_pct": "0.5",
            "prepaid": "3500",
            "other": "0",
            "credits": "2000",
            "currency": "USD"
        },
        "steps": [
            "Loan = 400,000 × 80% = $320,000; origination 1% = $3,200.",
            "Transfer tax = 0.5% × 400,000 = $2,000.",
            "Itemised fees 600 + 450 + 1,800 + 1,200 + 250 + prepaids 3,500 = $7,800; total $13,000 (3.25%).",
            "Cash to close = 80,000 + 13,000 − 2,000 = $91,000."
        ],
        "result": "Closing costs come to $13,000 (3.25% of the price), and you need $91,000 in cash at closing."
    },
    "interpretation": "Use your lender’s loan estimate and your attorney’s or agent’s quotes for each line. Prepaids are not fees as such (they fund insurance, tax and interest), but you still need the cash on the day.",
    "assumptions": [
        "All figures are your own quotes or estimates; no fee levels are built in.",
        "Lender fees are charged on the loan amount and transfer tax on the price."
    ],
    "limitations": [
        "Fee names and who pays what differ by country and state; add anything not listed under Other fees."
    ],
    "rules": null,
    "faqs": [
        {
            "question": "Are prepaids part of closing costs?",
            "answer": "They are usually shown with them on settlement statements and are due at closing, so they are included here. They are payments in advance rather than charges for a service."
        },
        {
            "question": "Can closing costs be added to the loan?",
            "answer": "Sometimes, through lender credits for a higher rate or by financing certain fees. That reduces cash to close but costs more over time."
        }
    ],
    "sources": [],
    "related": [
        {
            "name": "Stamp Duty Estimate Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/stamp-duty-estimate-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Loan-to-Value Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/loan-to-value-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Mortgage Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/mortgage-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Rent vs Own Cash Flow Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/rent-vs-own-cashflow-calculator"
        }
    ],
    "disclaimer": "This calculator gives estimates for planning. It is not financial advice, and lenders’ actual terms, fees and rounding may differ.",
    "publisher": "GM¹X CalcVerse"
}