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Settlement costs can be high
Mortgage settlement--sometimes called mortgage closing--can be confusing. A settlement may involve several people and many documents and fees. This information will help you understand all that is involved. Although the focus of this guide is on settlements for home purchases, much of it will also be useful if you are refinancing a mortgage.
Settlement costs can be high, so it pays to shop around and negotiate with the seller, your lender, and your attorney or settlement agent. The less you have to pay in settlement costs, the more funds you will have for other things.
Different regions have different customs and practices regarding who pays for what at settlement. Buyers and sellers are free to negotiate certain fees. In slow-moving real estate markets, the seller may agree to pay points or fees for the buyer. In fast-moving markets, the buyer may have to agree to pay more costs to close the deal. Whatever you negotiate will become the sales contract. However, be careful; if some buyer’s costs are shifted to the seller, it may increase the price you pay for the property.
You can reduce some settlement costs by shopping around for the services. The point is this: the more you know about the process, the better your chances are for saving money at settlement time.
Because practices vary significantly from area to area, it is difficult to provide estimates for settlement costs that fit everywhere. However, one rule of thumb for buyers is to figure that settlement costs will be about 3% of the price of your home. In some relatively high-tax areas of the country, 5% to 6% is more common.
Some settlement costs, such as homeowner’s insurance, private mortgage insurance, or points can be more expensive if your credit rating is low.
Knowing your credit score can help you understand how lenders will evaluate your applications.
Your lender is required to give you a copy of your credit score.(FICO)
Glossary of Terms
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Closing On your Home
Related Settlement Costs
Mortgage and Lender Related Settlement Costs
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 that must be paid for (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 (Private MI)
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 your 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 homeowners 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
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This information has been prepared to help you make the important decisions involved in buying and financing your home. However it should not be viewed as all inclusive OR as a replacement for professional advice. Talk with attorneys, mortgage lenders, real estate agents, and other advisers for information about lending practices, mortgage instruments, and your own interests before you commit to a specific loan or action.
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