FINANCE & BUYING
Closing Cost Estimator
A line-item look at the check you'll write at the table — lender fees, title work, and Ohio escrow prepaids, not one vague percentage.
Estimates only. Actual costs vary by property, lender, and title company — consult a loan officer for final numbers.
Line Items
Loan Origination
1% of loan amount
$2,700
Appraisal
Third-party appraisal
$550
Title Insurance (Lender)
0.3% of loan
$810
Title Insurance (Owner)
0.4% of purchase price
$1,200
Title Search & Settlement
Search and closing fees
$650
Recording Fees
County recording
$175
Home Inspection
Professional inspection
$425
Homeowner's Insurance (1 mo)
One month prepaid
$100
Prepaid Interest
~15 days at 7% APR
$777
Property Tax Escrow
2.5 months at 1.8%/yr
$1,125
Insurance Escrow
2 months of insurance
$200
Not due at closing, but budget for PMI: ~$112.50/mo until 20% equity.
Estimated Closing Costs
$8,712
2.9% of purchase price
Where the Money Goes
Half of it is fees. The other half is your own money.
Lender, appraisal, title, and recording charges are true costs. The tax and insurance lines are prepaids — cash collected up front to open your escrow account. You still need it at the table, and Ohio's semi-annual, in-arrears tax billing means the escrow cushion swings with your closing date.
1%
Loan origination
Of the loan amount — the lender's fee for making the loan
$550
Appraisal
Third-party valuation, ordered by the lender, paid by you
~0.7%
Title insurance
Lender's and owner's policies combined
2.5 mo
Tax escrow
Property tax collected up front to open your escrow account
The Method
How to read your estimate
- 1
Enter your purchase price
Most line items scale from it — owner's title insurance, escrow prepaids, and property tax reserves are all percentages of the price.
- 2
Set your down payment
The loan amount drives origination, the lender's title policy, and whether PMI applies on a conventional loan under 20% down.
- 3
Pick your loan type
Conventional, VA, or FHA. VA adds a funding fee that varies with down payment and first vs. subsequent use; FHA adds a 1.75% upfront MIP. Both can be financed into the loan.
- 4
Separate fees from prepaids
Lender and title charges are true costs. The tax and insurance escrow lines are your own money moving into an account — plan for the cash, but don't mourn it.
Straight Answers
Questions people actually ask
How much are closing costs on a home in Cincinnati, Ohio?
Plan on roughly 2–5% of the purchase price depending on your loan type and how much escrow your lender collects up front. On a $290,000 conventional purchase that's typically $5,800–$14,500. VA and FHA loans add a financeable funding fee or upfront MIP on top of the standard lender and title charges.
Who pays closing costs in Ohio — the buyer or the seller?
Both sides have their own. Buyers pay the lender, appraisal, title, and escrow items this calculator estimates. Sellers customarily pay the Ohio conveyance (transfer) fee and their side of the title work. Seller concessions — the seller crediting part of your costs — are negotiable and show up regularly in Cincinnati contracts, especially on homes that have sat for a few weeks.
Can I roll closing costs into my mortgage?
On a purchase, mostly no. The VA funding fee and FHA upfront MIP are the exceptions — both can be financed into the loan. For everything else, the usual routes are a seller concession or a lender credit, where you accept a slightly higher rate in exchange for the lender covering fees at the table.
Why am I paying property taxes and insurance at closing?
Those are prepaids, not fees. Your lender collects a few months of property tax and homeowner's insurance up front to open your escrow account, and because Ohio bills property tax semi-annually and in arrears, the cushion collected shifts with your closing date. It's your money — it just moves into escrow on day one.
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Need a Local Expert?
Closing costs are negotiable. Bring backup.
Seller concessions, lender credits, shopping the title work — Chris walks Cincinnati buyers through what's actually movable in a contract before anything gets signed.