Here’s How Much Sellers Pay for Closing Costs in CT
Selling an Inherited House: Step by Step Guide
August 20, 2020
As A Seller, You Have A Financial Responsibility When It Comes To Closing
When you look to sell your home, there are many fees and costs involved that you may not expect. From real estate agent fees to local, state and property tax, the final sales price of your home can quickly be eaten up by the final amount owed from the seller on the closing day. Before taking part in a real estate transaction, it can be helpful to know the costs involved.
Closing costs can vary from state to state and are influenced by many unique situations. However, closing costs are a reality that a wise homeowner should consider when deciding how much to list their home for on the market. Understanding what closings costs are required of both sellers and home buyers in Connecticut can better inform both parties and help in the final negotiation process.
To avoid paying closing costs entirely, some homeowners will choose to partner with an investment property buyer such as The Garnet Property Group to sell their home for a full-cash offer. In these instances, sellers can avoid paying common closing fees as the buyer will eat the cost upfront. Learn more about Connecticut closing costs below, and discover the options available to you as a seller.
What Closing Costs Should I Expect to Pay?
One of the last things a homeowner will think to look up when selling their home are the various closing costs associated with the final transfer of property. While you may be more interested in the cost of necessary updates or repairs and the possible sales offer price, knowing the different closing costs required in a Connecticut home sale can help you better plan and negotiate a final sales price.
In Connecticut, there are a variety of closing costs you can expect to pay both as a buyer and seller. From recording fees for legal property listings in your county to real estate fees, the list of possible costs can help you make a more informed selling or buying decision. The final amounts due are often influenced by the final sales price agreed upon when a contract is finalized.
Here is a short list of the most common closing costs that you can expect to pay:
Home Buyer-Related Closing Costs
- Home Inspection Costs
- Before closing, the buyer will often complete a home inspection, pest inspection, and other surveys depending on the condition of the property. The costs involved in these home inspections will usually be deferred to a final payment at the time of purchase.
- Home Loan Application
- There is often a fee involved in starting a mortgage home loan application, as well as opening a line of credit for the home. The reason for this fee is because the lender has to spend the time determining your eligible loan amount, whether or not you need to purchase PMI (private mortgage insurance) or MIP (mortgage insurance premium), etc.
- Appraisals
- To finalize the home loan application, the true market value of the home will be assessed by a hired appraiser to determine property market value compared to other homes in the area.
- Title Search
- To make sure that there aren’t any unknown liens on the property.
- Application Document Preparation and Credit Score Report
- The fees involved with preparing the loan documents for a mortgage loan application and the mortgage broker, as well as any credit score reports that are pulled to determine the buyer’s ability to purchase the home.
- Loan Origination Fees
- This covers the lender’s administrative costs. It typically is about 1 percent of the loan amount, but there are some lenders that advertise no origination fees. These origination fees can help achieve the best interest rate.
- Underwriting Costs
- The final step in a buyer’s loan approval process, this cost covers the hiring of an underwriter to finish the loan application and apply for a line of credit. They will process a credit report (which usually costs $50 on average). It’s important to note that credit reports will actually lower your credit score (temporarily) after they are processed. If you want to preserve your credit score, try not to run too many credit reports.
- Insurance Fees
- There may be fees related to gaining title insurance and other home insurance needs. Title insurance protects the lender by insuring your ownership rights to the property. It’s also a good rule of thumb to purchase homeowner’s insurance as well (although not required by law).
Seller-Related Closing Costs
- Costs for Attorneys
- Attorneys are often utilized to finalize the documents and contracts for a sale prior to closing.
- Conveyance Tax
- One of the most important fees for Connecticut sellers, the Conveyance Tax requires a one-half of one percent tax on the full sale price (up to $800,000) that goes to the state for the sale of the home.
- HOA Transfer Fees
- If you owe any HOA fees, or your association requires a transfer fee for moving the home to a new owner.
- Notary Cost
- The cost to hire the services of a notary public to legalize all contract documents.
- Agent’s Commission
- Amount due to the real estate agent who helps sell the property, on average ranging from 6-7% of the sale price.
- Recording Fee
- A fee that pays the cost of recording the deed transfer, often set by the county the sale occurs in.
- Transfer Tax
- Amount due to transfer the property title between the seller to the new buyer.
How Much Do Sellers Pay in Closing Costs in CT
Homeowners seeking to sell their property in Connecticut should do their research on the common costs associated with closing on a home sale. Being armed with this knowledge ahead of time can help you avoid unexpected financial shocks at closing and possible bottom-line losses. Learning the common formulas for determining closing costs can give you an idea as to how you can estimate the fees you may be responsible for.
For example, if you place your home on the Connecticut real estate market through an agency and receive an offer of $250,000, here are the costs that you can expect:
In Connecticut, there are a variety of closing costs you can expect to pay both as a buyer and seller. From recording fees for legal property listings in your county to real estate fees, the list of possible costs can help you make a more informed selling or buying decision. The final amounts due are often influenced by the final sales price agreed upon when a contract is finalized.
Here is a short list of the most common closing costs that you can expect to pay:
As you can see, a purchase price of $250,00 can quickly take a substantial hit of nearly $19,000 in just closing costs alone. While these percentage formulas can change year-to-year, don’t be surprised if your final closing costs come out to 15-20% of your offer price.
Many homeowners are surprised to see their final check come in quite lower than they expect, and will often try to negotiate with buyers to share the closing costs between the two parties.
One other potential expense, can be if you owe back property taxes on the property. If you do, the taxing authority will get a lien on your house for the total amount due (plus interest and penalty fees).
Want to see how much you may owe in closing costs? Check out our Closing Cost Estimator below!
To use the calculator, simply enter your information below and discover what the average closings costs may be based on the current closing formulas for Connecticut!*
*Note, these results are based on current rate averages, and may not reflect the final closing costs and fees required.
How Can I Save Money on Closing Costs in CT?
As a property seller, the costs you are responsible to cover can quickly add up – especially if you are looking to sell in Connecticut. Depending on your situation, you may be looking for a way to cut down on or eliminate your closing costs completely.
While selling your home directly through a real estate agent requires you to pay the necessary closing costs, there are options available if you are looking to avoid these fees altogether.
In some unique sale situations, costs can be eliminated completely. For example, a conveyance tax can be avoided when a property is passing between legal spouses, when the seller is involved in a business-related relocation, and when the property is transferred to certain non-profits.
Another way to avoid pricey closing costs is by partnering with a property investment company to sell your home.
Homeowners often choose to sell with property groups for a variety of reasons:
- A quick cash offer without fees involved – including closing costs.
- A stress-free, guaranteed sale that avoids buyer’s remorse or cold feet.
- Purchasing a property in an “as-is” condition from the buyer.
- Quick closing period, often in as little as two to three weeks.
- No closing costs – property investment groups absorb the closing costs for you!
The Garnet Property Group has been buying homes in various conditions across the state of Connecticut with quality, competitive cash offers. With quick closings and zero closing fees, you can avoid the hassle of calculating costs and negotiating with buyers an receive a full cash offer with no strings attached.
This option can be a perfect choice for those wishing to avoid paying unnecessary closing costs and offloading their unwanted property fast.
Avoid The Financial Hassle & Close Quickly With The Garnet Property Group
With a clear understanding of the closing costs required of sellers and buyers in the state of Connecticut, you can make the home buying or selling process easier for everyone involved. With so many parts of life in beautiful Connecticut already at a premium, saving a few extra thousand dollars on closing costs can help you put more of your home’s value back in your pocket.
To learn more about home sales in Connecticut, and to discover how a cash offer from The Garnet Property Group can help you avoid paying closings costs completely, contact our team today.