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Home Loan Closing Costs May Be Surprising
By: Charles Essmeier
The whole purpose of taking out a mortgage is to borrow the bulk of the purchase
price of a house. Most houses sell for prices that are well beyond the amounts
the people keep in their bank accounts, so taking out a loan to buy a home is
pretty much inevitable. And yet many homebuyers are astonished to discover just
how much cash they are required to bring with them when it comes time to close
on the loan.
It does seem rather counterintuitive that one would have to bring cash to a loan
closing. After all, the purpose of the loan is to receive money, isn't it? And
yet, the costs associated with taking out a loan must be paid and convention
dictates that those costs be paid when the loan is signed.
If you are not expecting it, a call from a loan officer, saying, "Closing is
tomorrow. Don't forget to bring a cashier's check for $15,000" can be pretty
shocking. Here is a short list of things a buyer may be expected to pay, in
cash, when closing a loan:
# The down payment – This is the portion of the price of the house not covered
by the loan. In years past, this figure might have been 20% of the purchase
price or more. Now, in some cases, there may be no down payment at all.
# Loan origination fee – The fee that the lender charges to create and process
the loan. This fee is typically about 1% of the loan amount.
# Appraisal fee – The fee charged to assess whether or not the house is worth
the seller's asking price. This fee may run $300-500, depending on the market.
# Property inspection fees – A charge of a few hundred dollars to assess whether
the home is structurally sound. This may cover an inspection of plumbing,
electrical or sewage systems as well as a foundation or roof inspection.
# Private mortgage insurance – Charged on loans that cover 80% or more of the
purchase price, this insurance protects the lender from default by the buyer.
# Miscellaneous fees – This covers copying documents, postage, courier fees,
notary fees and other miscellaneous office expenses.
All of these fees can add up to quite a lot of money. The well-informed buyer
would do well to ask, in advance, just how much money he or she will be expected
to provide at closing. As the sum can easily amount to 5% of the purchase price
or more, most buyers will sufficient notice to gather the funds in order to have
them ready on time. The last thing any buyer wants is to be unable to close
because he or she cannot provide the proper funds at closing. It is best to be
prepared.
About the Author:
Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to
informational Websites, including http://www.homeequityhelp.net, a site devoted
to information regarding home equity lending.
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