Closing Costs in California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia: A Buyer's State-by-State Breakdown

Closing costs vary more by state than most first-time buyers expect. The same $400,000 home purchase can cost $8,000 to close in one state and $30,000+ in another, depending on local transfer taxes, mortgage recording taxes, required professionals, and title insurance customs. This breakdown covers four of the most-searched states: California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia — with specific numbers you can use to plan before you're on the hook.

Why Closing Costs Vary So Much by State

Three variables drive most of the state-level differences:

Transfer taxes: Some states charge significant taxes on real estate transfers. New York's mortgage recording tax alone can add 1.8%–2.05% of the loan amount. California's county transfer tax is modest by comparison. Texas and states like Montana have no transfer tax at all.

Required professionals: Some states require attorneys for closings (Georgia, New York); others use title companies without any attorney requirement (California, most of the Midwest). Attorney fees add $700–$4,000 to closing costs.

Title insurance customs: Who pays for the owner's title policy varies by local convention. In California, it's sometimes negotiated based on county. In New York City, the buyer pays both the lender and owner's policies plus a bank attorney fee.

California Closing Costs

California uses escrow companies (not attorneys) to manage most residential closings. The escrow process is standard and regulated by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.

California-Specific Costs

Documentary Transfer Tax (County): $1.10 per $1,000 of sale price. On a $700,000 home, that's $770 to the county. Additionally, many California cities add their own transfer tax on top of this:

• Los Angeles City: $4.50/$1,000 (plus a new ULA tax of 4% on sales over $5M — not relevant to most first-time buyers)
• San Francisco: tiered, starting at $3.75/$1,000 for homes under $250,000 and escalating
• Oakland: $15/$1,000 for sales over $300,000

For a standard $700,000 home outside a high-tax city: county transfer tax is approximately $770. The seller pays this in most California counties, but it's negotiable.

Escrow fees: Shared between buyer and seller. Buyer's portion is typically $1,000–$1,500 for a median-priced home.

Title insurance: In Southern California, the seller traditionally pays for the owner's title policy. In Northern California (Bay Area and above), it's typically negotiated or the buyer pays. The lender's policy (required) is always paid by the buyer: roughly $800–$1,500 on a $700,000 purchase.

Notary fees: $200–$400 for the loan signing.

California Buyer Closing Cost Estimate

Based on a $700,000 purchase price with a $560,000 loan (20% down):

California's closing costs are moderate when transfer taxes are modest — but if you're buying in San Francisco, Oakland, or LA, city-level transfer taxes can shift this significantly. Always get an estimate from your escrow company specific to the city.

New York Closing Costs (Including NYC)

New York has some of the most complex and expensive closing cost structures in the country. The Mortgage Recording Tax, Mansion Tax, and bank attorney requirements create a closing cost environment unlike any other state.

New York State (Outside NYC)

• Transfer tax: $2 per $500 of sale price (0.4%), paid by the seller
• Mortgage Recording Tax: 1.0% for loans under $500,000; 1.05% for loans above $500,000 outside NYC. Paid by the buyer.
• Attorney fees: New York requires attorneys for real estate closings. Typically $1,500–$2,500 for standard transactions outside NYC.
• Title insurance: Both lender and owner policies required; combined typically $1,500–$2,500 on a median-priced upstate/suburban NY home.

New York City Specifically

NYC layering adds the NYC Transfer Tax on top of the state tax:

• NYC Transfer Tax: 1% for purchases under $500,000; 1.425% for $500,000–$999,999; 2.625% for $1 million+. Paid by the seller.
• Mansion Tax (buyer): For purchases of $1 million or more: 1% ($1M–$1.99M), 1.25% ($2M–$2.99M), and escalating tiers above.
• NYC Mortgage Recording Tax: 1.8% of loan amount for loans under $500,000; 1.925% for loans over $500,000 — a major cost paid by the buyer.
• Bank attorney fee: $750–$1,500 in addition to your own attorney.
• COOP-specific fees: If purchasing a cooperative apartment (very common in NYC), add: board application fees ($500–$1,500), move-in fees, managing agent fees.

NYC Buyer Closing Cost Estimate

Based on a $1,100,000 condo purchase with an $880,000 loan:

For a first-time buyer purchasing a $1.1M property in NYC, closing costs approaching $55,000 are not unusual. This is the reality of the NYC market — budget for it explicitly.

For a less expensive NYC purchase ($650,000), the Mansion Tax doesn't apply, the Mortgage Recording Tax on a $520,000 loan is approximately $10,010, and total buyer closing costs typically fall in the $20,000–$28,000 range.

Pennsylvania Closing Costs

Pennsylvania is a relatively straightforward, buyer-friendly closing cost state compared to New York.

Pennsylvania-Specific Costs

Transfer Tax: 2% total of the sale price — 1% state, 1% local municipality. By convention, buyer and seller each pay 1%. Exception: some municipalities have higher rates (Philadelphia has a combined 4.278% transfer tax, making it one of the most expensive in the state).

Realty Transfer Tax (Philly):

• State: 1%
• City: 3.278%
• Total: 4.278%, split negotiably between buyer and seller

Outside Philadelphia, the conventional 1/1 split means the buyer pays 1% of the purchase price.

No attorney required: Pennsylvania does not require attorneys for residential closings. Title companies handle most transactions. If you want an attorney (recommended for complex transactions), add $700–$1,500.

Mortgage recording: No separate mortgage recording tax beyond the standard recording fee ($150–$300).

Pennsylvania Buyer Closing Cost Estimate

Based on a $350,000 purchase outside Philadelphia with a $315,000 loan:

Pennsylvania buyer closing costs run moderate — typically 2.5%–4% depending on location and loan type. Philadelphia buyers should add the higher transfer tax to their calculations.

Georgia Closing Costs

Georgia is an attorney-closing state and has two unique taxes worth knowing.

Georgia-Specific Costs

Real Estate Transfer Tax: $1 per $1,000 of sale price — among the lowest in the country. On a $400,000 home, that's $400 total.

Intangible Recording Tax: 0.3% of the loan amount paid by the buyer at closing. On a $320,000 loan, that's $960. This is Georgia-specific and catches out-of-state buyers by surprise.

Attorney requirement: Georgia requires a closing attorney for all real estate transactions. Typical fee: $700–$1,200. The attorney can represent either the lender or the buyer — make sure you understand who your attorney represents and consider hiring your own if the lender's attorney isn't representing your interests.

Title insurance: Both lender and owner policies are customary. Combined cost: $1,200–$1,800 on a $400,000 purchase.

Georgia Buyer Closing Cost Estimate

Based on a $400,000 purchase in Atlanta with a $360,000 loan:

Georgia's closing costs are on the lower end nationally when excluding the intangible tax — but that 0.3% intangible tax is real money and shouldn't be missed.

FHA Loan Closing Costs: The Upfront MIP Factor

Across all four states, FHA loans add one significant cost that conventional loans don't have: the upfront Mortgage Insurance Premium (UFMIP) of 1.75% of the base loan amount. On a $315,000 FHA loan in Pennsylvania, that's $5,512. This is typically rolled into the loan rather than paid at closing — it increases your loan balance but reduces your immediate cash need.

The practical effect: FHA buyers see a lower cash-to-close number than the numbers above, but start with a slightly larger loan balance.

Getting an Accurate Number Before You're Committed

The state estimates above give you a realistic planning range, but your actual number depends on your specific lender's fees, your exact property location within the state, and which third-party services you use. The most accurate estimate comes from the Loan Estimate your lender provides within 3 business days of your application.

The Complete First-Time Homebuyer Checklist at firsthometoolkit.com/homebuyer-checklist/ includes a closing cost worksheet you can fill in with your lender's actual Loan Estimate numbers, a line-by-line Closing Disclosure comparison guide, and a state-specific fee tracker so you never miss a state-level cost like Georgia's intangible tax.

Get the Complete Homebuyer Checklist — $14

The state you're buying in matters enormously. Budget with real numbers, not averages.