Average Closing Costs in Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, and Washington State

The "2% to 5% of purchase price" range you find on every closing cost article is nearly useless for actual budgeting. That spread on a $400,000 home is the difference between $8,000 and $20,000 — not a planning figure, a coin flip. The reason for that range is that closing costs differ dramatically by state, driven largely by transfer taxes and whether your state requires an attorney at the closing table.

Here is a realistic breakdown for four commonly searched states, plus Florida and California context, based on how the fees actually stack up.

What Percentage of the Purchase Price Are Closing Costs?

Before the state-by-state figures, it helps to understand what drives the variance. Closing costs have three layers:

Layer 1 — Fixed lender fees: Origination charges, underwriting, appraisal. These are relatively similar across states and typically total $2,000 to $4,000 on a standard loan.

Layer 2 — Title and settlement: Title search, title insurance policies, escrow or attorney fees. These vary by state custom and market rates, usually $1,500 to $4,000.

Layer 3 — Transfer taxes and government fees: This is where state-by-state differences explode. States with high transfer taxes can add $5,000 to $15,000 or more to closing costs that a buyer in a no-transfer-tax state never pays.

The result: in low-transfer-tax states like Texas, Arizona, or Iowa, buyers typically pay 1.5% to 2.5% of the purchase price. In high-transfer-tax states like Delaware, New York, or Pennsylvania, the all-in number can reach 4% to 5% even before negotiated seller credits.

Average Closing Costs in Virginia

Virginia has a moderate closing cost profile. Transfer taxes are shared between buyer and seller, and the state does not require an attorney for residential closings.

Key fees for a Virginia buyer on a $400,000 purchase:

• Grantor's tax (state transfer tax): Paid by the seller, 0.1% of sale price — $400 on a $400,000 sale
• County/city recordation tax: Split between buyer and seller, varies by locality. In Northern Virginia (Fairfax County), the recordation tax is 0.0833% — about $333 per party on a $400,000 purchase
• Recording fees: $50 to $150
• Lender origination fees: $1,500 to $3,000
• Appraisal: $500 to $800
• Title insurance (lender's policy): $500 to $1,000
• Owner's title insurance (optional but recommended): $700 to $1,500
• Settlement/escrow fee: $300 to $600
• Prepaid interest, taxes, and insurance: $3,000 to $6,000 depending on closing date and property taxes

Realistic buyer total on a $400,000 Virginia home: $8,000 to $12,000, or roughly 2% to 3%. Northern Virginia localities near Washington, D.C. tend to be at the higher end because local recordation taxes are higher.

Average closing costs in Northern Virginia note: If you are purchasing in Arlington, Fairfax, or Alexandria, city and county-level taxes add materially versus rural Virginia. Always pull a location-specific estimate from your lender or title company.

Typical Closing Costs in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is one of the most expensive states for closing costs, primarily because of the transfer tax structure.

Pennsylvania transfer tax: 2% of the sale price, typically split 50/50 between buyer and seller. That means the buyer pays 1% and the seller pays 1% — but in some transactions, the buyer absorbs the full 2%, depending on local custom and negotiation. On a $400,000 home, 2% is $8,000 in transfer taxes alone.

Attorney requirement: Pennsylvania does not require an attorney for residential closings, but many buyers use one. Attorney fees run $500 to $1,500.

Key fees for a Pennsylvania buyer on a $400,000 purchase:

• Transfer tax (buyer's portion, assuming 50/50 split): $4,000
• Recording fees: $150 to $300
• Lender origination: $1,500 to $3,000
• Appraisal: $400 to $700
• Title insurance (lender's): $700 to $1,200
• Owner's title insurance: $800 to $1,500
• Settlement fee: $400 to $700
• Prepaids: $3,500 to $6,000

Realistic buyer total on a $400,000 Pennsylvania home: $12,000 to $18,000, or approximately 3% to 4.5%. If the buyer absorbs the full transfer tax (uncommon but not rare in a seller's market), add another $4,000.

Philadelphia has an additional city transfer tax of 3.278% (on top of the state's 1% buyer share), making it one of the most expensive closing cost markets in the country.

Average Closing Costs in New York

New York has a complex closing cost structure that includes one of the most significant mortgage recording taxes in the country.

New York Mortgage Recording Tax (MRT):

• New York City: 1.8% on loans under $500,000; 1.925% on loans of $500,000 or more
• Outside NYC: approximately 1.0% to 1.3% depending on the county

On a $350,000 loan in New York City, the MRT is roughly $6,720. This alone is why New York closing costs are higher than most buyers expect.

Additional New York costs:

• New York State transfer tax: 0.4% of sale price, paid by seller (but can be negotiated)
• NYC additional transfer tax: 1% on sales over $500,000 (paid by seller)
• Mansion tax: 1% paid by buyer on purchases of $1 million or more
• Attorney fee: New York is an attorney state, and buyer's attorney fees typically run $1,500 to $2,500
• Title search and insurance: $2,000 to $4,000 depending on borough and purchase price
• Bank attorney fee: $500 to $1,000 (the lender's attorney, separate from your attorney)
• Lender origination and appraisal: $2,000 to $4,000

Realistic buyer total on a $600,000 New York City purchase: $18,000 to $25,000, or roughly 3% to 4.5%. Outside of New York City, the mortgage recording tax is lower but still significant.

Using a New York closing costs calculator from a title company or real estate attorney is the most reliable way to get a precise figure, since borough and county variation is substantial.

Closing Costs in Washington State

Washington State has graduated transfer taxes and no income tax, but the transfer tax itself has become significant on higher-priced homes.

Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) — paid by seller:

• 1.1% on sale price up to $525,000
• 1.28% on $525,001 to $1,525,000
• 2.75% on $1,525,001 to $3,025,000
• 3.0% above $3,025,000

While this is a seller cost, sellers typically factor it into their net proceeds expectations, which can affect negotiated prices and seller credit availability.

Buyer costs in Washington:

• Lender origination fees: $1,500 to $3,000
• Appraisal: $600 to $1,000
• Title insurance: $800 to $2,000
• Escrow fee (Washington uses escrow companies, not attorneys): $400 to $800, typically split with seller
• Recording fees: $200 to $350
• Prepaid interest and insurance: $2,500 to $5,000 depending on loan size and closing date

Realistic buyer total in Washington on a $500,000 purchase: $7,000 to $12,000, or 1.4% to 2.4%. Because the transfer tax falls on the seller, Washington buyers' costs are relatively moderate compared to attorney states or high-transfer-tax states.

A closing cost calculator Washington State search will pull up tools from local title companies including First American and Fidelity National — these give county-specific recording fee estimates that a generic calculator will miss.

Average Closing Costs in Florida

Florida buyers face a mix: no state income tax, moderate transfer taxes (documentary stamp tax of 0.35% on the mortgage amount paid by the buyer, plus 0.7% on the sale price paid by the seller), and promulgated title insurance rates set by the state.

On a $400,000 Florida purchase, buyers typically pay $9,000 to $14,000. The intangible tax on the mortgage (0.2% of the loan amount) and the documentary stamp on the promissory note add costs that buyers in other states do not have.

How to Get an Accurate Estimate for Your State and County

The most reliable approach:

1. Request a Loan Estimate from two or three lenders — this gives you Sections A, B, and C for each lender plus Section F prepaids, which should be consistent across quotes.
2. Contact one or two local title companies to compare their Section C fees (title, escrow/settlement) independently.
3. Check your specific county's recorder website for current recording fees — these are fixed and public.
4. Confirm the transfer tax rate for your county, not just the state. City, county, and state transfer taxes can stack.

The Closing Cost Guide includes a lender comparison worksheet that shows you exactly how to isolate the fees that vary by lender from the fees that are fixed by location — so you are comparing apples to apples across your Loan Estimates rather than getting distracted by the numbers that will be the same no matter who you borrow from.