Closing Cost Calculator for Home Buyers — Estimate Cash to Close

The CFPB says closing costs, not counting your down payment, typically run 2–5% of the home purchase price, and that they depend on the price of the home, your down payment, the lender's costs, the kind of loan and where the home is. In a 2024 announcement it said that median closing costs were $6,000 in 2022.

With this calculator's starting numbers ($400,000 home, 20% down) the itemized total is $14,250, or 3.6% of the price. Every rate in the form is an editable placeholder, not a quote: replace each line with the figure on your Loan Estimate.

It is the money you need to bring to the closing table. Here it is your down payment plus the closing costs ($80,000 + $14,250 = $94,250 in the starting example). A real Loan Estimate shows an “Estimated Cash to Close” and the Closing Disclosure a “Cash to Close”; the CFPB tells buyers to check that the Closing Disclosure's figure matches the most recent Loan Estimate. Seller or lender credits, which this calculator does not model, can change the number your lender shows.

According to the CFPB, a buyer generally pays all of the costs of the transaction, although depending on the contract or state law the seller may end up paying for some of them. A seller credit toward your closing costs is not free: the seller will usually require a higher price to cover it. A lender credit is not free either, as the lender will typically raise your loan amount or your interest rate in exchange. This calculator covers the buyer's side only. The CFPB lists common closing charges as appraisal fees, tax service provider fees, title insurance, government taxes, and prepaid expenses such as property taxes, homeowners insurance and interest until your first payment is due.

Yes: set the down payment to 100%. With no loan, the loan-origination line, which is a percentage of the amount borrowed, becomes $0 ($11,050 of closing costs remain in the starting example, and $411,050 to close including the price). The other lines are your own inputs, so set each to what your purchase will actually involve, including $0 for anything you will not pay.

One line to think about is title insurance. The CFPB says lender's title insurance is usually required to get a mortgage loan and protects only the lender, while owner's title insurance protects your own investment in the home and is something you “may want to buy.” With no lender there is no lender's policy to buy; whether to buy an owner's policy is your decision.

The lender must give you a Closing Disclosure at least three business days before closing (CFPB). Earlier, a Loan Estimate arrives three business days after the lender has your name, income, Social Security number, the property address and value, and the loan amount you want (CFPB, 2019 blog). The CFPB suggests asking at least three lenders for a Loan Estimate on the same kind of loan so you can compare. Use this calculator before that point, to plan how much cash you will need.

Some, not all. The guide Which Closing Costs Can You Actually Negotiate? explains which services the rules let you shop for and how much that can be worth.

Optional discount points, HOA transfer fees and seller-paid credits are not modelled, and any of them can move the total. Recording and transfer taxes and title costs vary a lot by state and county, so treat the defaults as starting points. Ask your lender for a real Loan Estimate once you are under contract or applying.