What you need to know about typical closing costs for a Southern NH house for sale

What Are the Closing Costs in Southern NH?

Closing Costs are fees that are associated with the purchase of your Southern NH home for sale that are paid at the closing of a real estate transaction. The closing is the time at which the title of your Southern NH home for sale is transferred from the seller to the buyer. The closing costs of the loan are incurred by the buyer. While the seller pays for commission, transfer of the deed and a few other miscellaneous state fees.

There are many different fees you can expect to encounter when you are closing on a new home in Southern New Hampshire. They vary widely depending on where you live, the type of home you purchase, and the type of loan that you choose to take out. These fees may include:

• Application Fee: The application fee covers the cost for the lender to process your application. Before submitting an application, ask your lender what this fee covers. Not all lenders charge an application fee, and if they do it is possible it can be negotiated.
  
  

• Appraisal: This fee is paid to the appraisal company to confirm the market value of the home you intend to purchase. It typically costs from $400-$600 depending on the property type. With a VA or FHA loan the lender will require the appraisal to be at or above the purchase price unless the buyer is capable of paying the difference in cash which is typically not possible. If you are a conventional buyer in Southern NH and have a large down payment you should make the contract subject to the appraisal.
  
  

• Closing/Escrow Fee: This is paid to the title company or the escrow company for conducting the closing. It usually ranges from $350-$600 depending on the company and type of closing. The title company or escrow oversees the closing as an independent party in your home purchase. We suggest using a company this knows Southern NH laws.
  
  

• Courier Fee: This covers the cost of transporting documents to complete the loan transaction as quickly as possible. Usually courier fees don’t cost more than $50 each.
  
  

• Credit Report: A credit report is needed to get your credit history and your credit score. Your credit score plays a big role in determining the interest rate you’ll get on your Southern NH loan. Typically the credit report runs from $25-$50 but could be more costly if there was a credit problem that had to be resolved.
  
  

• Escrow Deposit for Property Taxes & Mortgage Insurance: Often you are asked to put down up to six months of property tax and mortgage insurance payments when closing in Southern NH. So make sure to budget for it.
  
  

• Flood Determination For Life of Loan Coverage: This is paid to a third party to determine if the property is located in a flood zone. This should also be a small fee under $50.
  
  

• Home Inspection: You will most likely get your own home inspection to verify the condition of a property, as well as to check for home repairs that may be needed before closing on your new home. Depending on whether there is a septic and well or public water/sewer and what other tests you do such as mold, lead, pests, radon, pool, etc. will determine how costly this will be. The basic inspections costs from $400-$1200 and could potentially be more depending on the tests you decide to have done on your Southern NH home for sale.

• Homeowners Association Transfer Fees: The Seller will pay for this transfer which will show that the dues are paid current, what the dues are, a copy of the association financial statements, minutes and notices. There may also be a one-time fee for the buyer to join the Association that goes into the Reserves.

• Homeowners’ Insurance: This covers possible damages to your Southern NH home. Your first year’s insurance is often paid at closing and the cost varies based on the size of the home, your credit and the amenities.
  
  

• Lender’s Policy Title Insurance: This is insurance to assure the lender that you own the home and the lender’s mortgage is a valid lien, and it protects the lender if there is a problem with the title. The cost varies based on the sales price of the Southern New Hampshire home you buy.

• Owner’s Policy Title Insurance: This is an insurance policy that protects you if someone challenges your ownership of your home. This cost also varies based on the price of the home you buy.

• Origination Fee: This covers the lender’s administrative costs. It’s usually about 1% of the total loan.
  
  

• Prepaid Interest: Most lenders will ask you to prepay any interest that will accrue between closing and the date of your first mortgage payment.
  
  

• Property Tax: Typically lenders will want any taxes due within 60 days of purchase by the lender to be paid at closing. There may also be taxes due to the owner that were prepaid.

• Recording Fees: This is a fee charged by your local recording office for the recording of public land records. It is usually around $50.

• Transfer Taxes: The transfer tax is one of the largest fees you encounter in New Hampshire. The NH Transfer tax is $15 per $1,000 of the sales price. This fee is split between the buyer and the seller unless otherwise agreed to in writing. In other states there are different fees and it may only be born by the seller.

• Underwriting Fee: This also goes to your lender, covering the cost of researching whether or not to approve you for the loan. An underwriter looks at your file and makes the decision as whether your Southern NH home loan will be accepted or not.

Home buyers will pay anywhere between about 2% to 5% of the purchase price of their home in closing fees but it typically ranges around 3.5%. Your lender will give you a loan estimate for your loan, which will include what the closing costs on your home will be. Many of the fees that make up closing costs may be negotiable. You can also look around for different lenders to see who may be willing to offer you a loan with the lowest closing costs and especially the lowest interest rate.