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17 min read Jan 09, 2024

What are the Seller Closing Costs in Indiana?

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the finish line.

Closing on a home can be one of the most exciting moments as a seller, but it can also be stressful if you aren’t prepared. This blog will answer all your questions about seller closing costs in Rhode Island and how to calculate and negotiate them.

What are Closing Costs in Indiana?

Key Takeaways

  • Closing costs, also known as “settlement costs,” are the final expenses to complete the real estate transaction.
  • Closing costs are separate from the price of the property.
  • The seller and the buyer have to pay specific closing costs.
  • Typically, in Rhode Island, the closing process is managed by an attorney, the lender, or a title company.
  • Due to different fees and statute requirements, closing costs vary in municipalities and states.

  • 💰 CALCULATE YOUR CLOSING COSTS

Who Pays Closing Costs in Indiana?

Both, the buyer and seller, pay the closing costs.

As a seller, you can negotiate some closing costs with the homebuyer. However, you must pay closing costs like taxes charged by your state or local jurisdiction. They are non-negotiable.

Most real estate agents know who typically pays what for the closing costs in your local area. So, it’s important to seek professional advice. Hiring an experienced real estate agent can help reduce your closing costs.

How Much are Closing Costs in Indiana?

The closing cost in Indiana for sellers is approximately 8%–10% of the home’s agreement value, not including the mortgage payoff. This estimated seller closing costs for Indiana include the commission of the listing and buyer’s agent.

Let’s put that in perspective! With a typical home value of $277,978 if you are selling a house in Indiana, your closing costs may amount to $22,000-$28,000.

Most of the closing costs for seller in Indiana will be deducted from the proceeds you get from the property. As such, you need enough equity to cover some of the expenses.

What are the Typical Closing Costs for Seller in Indiana?

1. Attorney’s Fee

Sellers usually hire real estate attorneys to review important documents like the Indiana seller’s disclosure and the sales contract. Attorneys can be especially helpful if no real estate brokers are involved or if there are any legal issues with the property.

In most cases, the seller and buyer hire different attorneys to represent their best interests. However, if you and the buyer decide to hire the same attorney, the attorney fee will be split.

Typically, the average attorney fee for house closing in Indiana is $140-$500 per hour.

2. Credits Towards Closing Costs

You can offer to help buyers with closing costs to make the property more attractive, especially if you live in an area where market competition is low. These costs are called closing credits or seller concessions and are paid at closing.

You can also negotiate concessions with homebuyers if a requirement for repairs arises after the inspection. This may help you save some money on the costs of repair.

» How Much are Closing Costs For Buyer in IN: Here is a detailed breakdown of closing costs for buyers in Indiana.

3. Escrow Fee

An escrow is a neutral third party that holds certain funds or the property until the contract conditions have been met. It protects the interests of both parties by ensuring that either does not wrongfully back out of the deal and lose money. Typically, the escrow charges in Indiana will be split between the buyer and you as both parties benefit from it.

You should budget between $200 to $500 or more for escrow fee, depending upon the circumstances of their sale.

4. Home Inspection Fee

You can opt for a Indiana home inspection to identify any major defects and issues in the house. These may include plumbing issues, water damage, mold, appliance malfunction, etc. This can be done before the property is listed on the market (pre-inspection) or just before the closing. You can choose to repair the defects identified by the home inspector in Indiana before selling your house to increase its market value.

Indiana seller disclosure requires sellers to declare any known issues and defects with the property that may affect the health and safety of the buyer. Some of these are:

  • Structural defects: The buyer must be informed about leaking roofs, loose masonry, foundational cracks, etc.
  • Factors that pose health risks: You must disclose the presence of asbestos, lead paint, etc., to the buyer. However, the law in Indiana does not mandate radon testing and identifying the presence of mold.
  • Soil problems: You must identify any issues related to the foundation of the home that could potentially render the house inhabitable. This includes underground pits, mines, or other instability.
  • Flood risk: You must provide a list of flooding instances and water damage caused by pipe leaks, broken sewer lines, leaking roof, etc.
  • Pest infestation: You must also offer a list of any previous or current infestations of termites or other wood-boring insects.
  • Utility defects: You must list defects such as malfunctioning heating and air conditioning systems, damaged lighting fixtures, faulty wiring, leaky ventilation systems, etc.

The buyer can also undertake a home inspection. However, if they find undisclosed defects, it might give them the upper hand during negotiations, or they may back out of the deal.

» Home Inspection Cost Indiana: The cost of home inspection varies according to factors like the type, size, and location of the house.

5. Home Warranty Fee

A home warranty covers the maintenance cost of the devices and appliances in the house for a limited time period, like, days, months, or years. You may offer a home warranty to make the property more desirable for buyers.

6. Homeowner Association (HOA) Fee/ Document Fee

If you are a part of the Homeowners Association (HOA), you will have to pay the fee due until the closing date and clear the remaining dues, if any. In most cases, you will not be able to close on the house until the dues are paid.

However, if the issue persists and is not resolved before closing, the HOA can place a lien on your house and even initiate foreclosure.

7. HOA Estoppel Fee

The HOA Estoppel letter is a legally binding document containing details about the financial obligations like the monthly or annual fee, that the buyer will have to pay after closing. It also offers information about any unresolved dues you may owe.

The HOA Estoppel fee in Indiana needs to be paid by you as part of the process. It ranges from $200-$500 per month.

8. HOA Transfer Fee

If you are a part of the Homeowners Association, at the time of closing, the ownership of your house needs to be transferred to the buyer in HOA records. The HOA transfer fee is a one-time non-negotiable charge that you pay the HOA to update their records.

9. Mortgage Payoff

Mortgage payoff will most likely be one of the biggest items on your list of fees. You’ll have to pay off any remaining balance of the mortgage on your property with the proceeds of your home sale at closing. This includes interest accrued from the last payment to the day of closing and any penalty the lender might charge you for prepayment of the mortgage.

Contact your lender and discuss the requirements to pay off the mortgage to get the overall details of your closing costs. Also, check for the loan documents to see if there’s any prepayment penalty with your mortgage.

10. Municipal Lien Search

A Municipal Lien Search can help you uncover any unrecorded liens, code violations, permits, taxes, and utility bills, associated with the property. While many sellers forego a municipal lien search, it can complement a title search, especially since it offers additional information about open or expired permits.

An open or expired permit can be a thorn in the side for both you and the buyer as it can lead to further expenses and delays in the sale. On average, a municipal lien search costs $200.

11. Owner’s Title Insurance

There are two types of title insurance in IN, owner’s and lender’s. Primarily, you, the seller, will pay for the owner’s title insurance to protect the buyer against discrepancies relating to the ownership of the property or false documentation. Additionally, title insurance takes care of any back taxes, liens, ownership clauses, etc. Title insurance rates in IN depend on the purchase price of the house.

Both parties can negotiate who purchases the owner’s title insurance.

» Is Owner’s Title Insurance Required in Indiana: Read more about this closing cost in IN.

12. Property Tax

While there is no set rate, with a statewide average of 0.75%, the property tax in Indiana is less than the national average.

You must pay prorated property tax according to the date of purchase at closing.

13. Real Estate Broker Commission

The agent’s commission is the biggest chunk of the closing cost you need to pay. However, it’s negotiable and typically paid from the proceeds of your house sale. Likewise, don’t forget to contact your agent to negotiate the fees. In total, you are expected to pay the real estate agent commission that ranges from 4% to 6% (listing agent commission + buyer’s agent commission which costs 2% to 3% of the total sales price).

To put this in perspective, as per the typical home value, Indiana state real estate commission may amount to $13,000-$19,500.

If you want to avoid paying hefty commissions, you can list your property for a flat fee or with no commission at all! Choosing FSBO (For Sale by Owner) and listing your home with a Flat Fee MLS in Indiana plan can help you save more. What’s more, you pay zero realtor commission if your buyer has no agent.

» Sell a Home Without a Realtor Indiana: A comprehensive guide on how to sell your house yourself.

14. Recording Fee

A recording fee is paid to the local government to register the change in ownership of a house or sale of a property in the public record. It also records mortgages and other liens against the house. Recording fee is usually charged by the county.

15. Transfer Tax

Transfer tax is levied to transfer ownership of the house from the seller to the owner. The tax amount is based on the value of the property. It may be imposed by the municipality, county, or state.

Depending on the negotiations, the transfer tax can be paid by either seller or buyer. In some cases, the tax is split between the parties.

16. Utility Bills

You must pay all utility bills till the date of purchase of the house. The title company usually checks for unpaid bills and utility liens. If there are any dues, you must clear them at closing.

How to Reduce Closing Costs in Indiana?

1. Opt for a discount broker or a flat fee realtor

Compared to traditional brokers who charge 6% of the sales price as commission, discount real estate brokers only charge 3-4% of the sales price for their services. Some low commission brokers offer higher concessions if you let them represent you as buyer’s agents for your next real estate purchase.

2. Choose “For Sale By Owner”(FSBO)

Sellers can save up to 3% commission and cut several costs by opting for “Homes For Sale By Owner Indiana” services. Houzeo offers Indiana Flat Fee MLS packages for FSBO sellers that list properties on the MLS and make the selling process easier and smoother. What’s more, if the buyer is unrepresented, with Houzeo, sellers can sell their homes for zero realtor commission charge!

» For Sale By Owner Sites: Here is our pick of the top FSBO websites for 2023!

3. Research and compare

You can save more cash on closing costs for seller, such as the pest inspector or homeowner’s insurance agent, title and escrow companies that are more economical. Browse and ask friends who have experience hiring one.

4. Negotiate realtor fees

While traditional real estate agents usually charge 6% of the sale price as commission, this number is not set in stone. You can negotiate the fee with your realtor.

» Best Real Estate Brokers in Indiana: Find out who is the best real estate brokers in Indiana for you.

5. Ask the buyer to cover seller closing costs

Buyers may agree to cover closing costs for sellers if the current housing market in Indiana is competitive and fewer houses are in the market. Alternatively, you can raise the listing price to cover full or partial closing costs.

Seller Closing Costs Calculator Indiana

Closing costs vary heavily according to location and mortgage rates. Houzeo’s Closing Costs Estimator is a free tool that factors in these elements to help sellers and buyers estimate their closing costs. It shows the user a detailed list of itemized costs and highlights junk costs that can be avoided.

All the sellers have to do is enter their property location, home sale price, mortgage payoff, seller agent commission, and buyer agent commission in the Home Sale Calculator and find out how much closing costs they will have to bear.

The Seller Closing Cost Calculator even gives sellers an estimate of their home inspection fee and home warranty fee. With the help of this home sale proceeds calculator, sellers can find out their home equity and be prepared for closing.

» Seller Closing Costs Calculator Indiana: Check out the seller closing costs calculator for calculating the closing costs for seller.

How Should I Prepare for My Indiana Home Closing?

Your closing agent will schedule a date for your closing. Here’s how to prepare for your closing day.

1. Review Your Closing Documents in Advance

Closing documents should generally be available to you in advance of the scheduled closing date. Review these documents at length and understand their provisions. Here are some key documents you’ll likely sign at closing:

The HUD-1 or Closing Disclosure

If your home is purchased with a mortgage, then you’ll get the Closing Disclosure summarizing the costs in detail. If your transaction is all cash, you may get the HUD-1, although this is less common. These documents detail amounts you’re being charged for, your loan payoffs if any, and the net proceeds you will take to the bank. Remember, depending upon how much equity you have in the property, you might be asked to bring a check (or send a wire) on the closing date. Ensure there are no typos in your name, address, property address, bank info, and other details. Then review every amount and the totals to ensure there are no mathematical errors or inadvertent costs. You’ll be surprised how many times these documents have errors – this is one of the reasons our founder launched Houzeo

The Deed

This document enables the legal transfer of title from the seller to the buyer. In Indiana, it’s the seller’s obligation to prepare a new deed for the buyer. The fee would usually range between $100 to $150 in which your real estate attorney will help you prepare the legal document. Read this document carefully, verifying all details including the legal description of the property, the deed book, deed book page, and the Property Identification Number (PIN), if any. We know of a case where a Seller sold a $94,000 property, but the deed also legally transferred over the Seller’s five other homes worth $680,000 over to the Buyer. There was a huge scramble post-closing to correct this mistake. It could have been a nightmare for the Seller if the Buyer didn’t honestly transfer the rest of the properties back to the Seller.

2. Ask questions

 Before the scheduled closing, make an appointment with your closing agent. Do your research and ask questions if you have any, especially if this is your first time selling a house in Indiana.

3. Bring TWO Forms of Official ID, keys and garage remotes, and final water meter reading

There will likely be a licensed notary involved who’ll require that you swear you are who you say you are. Take a valid driver’s license or passport for ID. Carry a secondary ID as well, just in case. Don’t forget to bring garage keys, or security codes to open the house.

Conclusion: Seller Closing Costs in Indiana

Developing an understanding of closing costs is important for you as a seller, as it can greatly impact your profits. Additionally, it is an important factor in calculating the listing price of a house in Indiana.

Now you’re ready! You might’ve heard horror stories of people being blindsided by high seller closing costs in Indiana – but that’s often the result of not preparing and educating themselves ahead of time. If you are a Houzeo For Sale By Owner Seller in Indiana, we want you to be one of the most educated home sellers out there. Next step, log on to Houzeo.com and list your home for sale by owner. You’ll be in full control of your listing, and save thousands in the process!

» Review of Houzeo: Check out Houzeo.com’s reviews before listing your house!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are closing costs tax deductible?

Yes. You can claim tax deductions on some closing costs that are considered taxes or insurance.

2. Who pays title insurance in Indiana?

Usually, the seller pays for the owner's title insurance in Indiana. If the buyer opts for a mortgage to purchase the house, they pay for the lender's title insurance.

3. How to calculate closing costs in Indiana?

Closing costs in Indiana vary according to location, mortgage rates, and market conditions. Houzeo's closing cost estimator is a free tool you can use to get a close estimate of settlement costs.

Note: This is only a quick guide for all the sellers in Indiana. Despite most information readily available online, seeking expert advice helps progress the process of selling a home.

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Additional Resources

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