How Much are Closing Costs in Missouri?

Congratulations! You are in the final stretch! However, the joy of finalizing the real estate deal brings with it the stress of financial planning. Closing costs in Missouri are a sum of expenses you should plan for when buying or selling a house.

What are Closing Costs in Missouri?

Closing costs in Missouri are a sum of fees that have to be paid to different stakeholders. Closing costs are essential for finalizing the real estate deal and transferring the ownership of the house. These settlement costs are paid in addition to the net property amount.

Who Pays Closing Costs in Missouri?

Both the buyer and seller pay certain closing costs at the end of the real estate transaction in Missouri.

The seller shells out a higher monetary amount as closing costs as they pay the REALTOR commission. Other fees, like documentation charges, transfer fees, etc., are paid by the buyer.

Some closing costs are negotiable, while others are non-negotiable, like taxes charged by your state or local jurisdiction.

Depending upon the conditions of the Missouri real estate market, the buyer or the seller can negotiate their share of the closing costs. For example, in a buyer’s market, the seller may have to bear a portion of the buyer’s closing costs.

Who Pays Closing Costs on FSBO in Missouri?

While For Sale By Owner (FSBO) property sellers do not have to pay heavy real estate agent commissions, they cannot completely escape closing costs. Some of these are:

1. Property Tax

The owner of the house has to pay property tax based in the value of the property to the local government. It can be paid annually or at the time of the real estate transaction. The seller must pay prorated property tax according to the date of purchase at closing. The average property tax in Missouri is 0.96% of the property value.

2. Seller’s Attorney Fees

The law in Missouri does not mandate the presence of an attorney for FSBO real estate transactions. However, it is highly advised to hire a real estate attorney for For Sale By Owner Missouri deals to avoid any type of legal risk.

A real estate attorney guides the owner in preparing the necessary documents like seller disclosure and drafts of other legal paperwork.

» For Sale by Owner Websites Reviews: Check out the blog to know about the best FSBO websites in 2023.

3. Pre-listing Appraisal

FSBO sellers may have to invest in the pre-listing appraisal, as it would help them find an appropriate buyer in less time. This will, in turn, lower the number of days on the market and make the sale faster.

How Much are Closing Costs in Missouri?

The closing cost in Missouir for sellers is approximately 8%–10% of the home’s agreement value, while the buyers are expected to pay around 2%–5% of the home’s purchase price.

Let’s put this in perspective! The typical home value in Missouri is $234,924. So, if you are selling a house in Missouri, you may have to pay $61,552- $76,940 as closing costs. On the other hand, if you are buying a house in Missouri, your closing costs may range between $15,380 to $38,470.

How Much are Closing Costs for Sellers in Missouri?

As mentioned above, when selling a house in Missouri, you will have to pay some closing costs to transfer the house ownership to the buyer legally. These costs include several fees that need to be paid over and above the net price of the property.

Some seller closing costs are negotiable. Real estate agents in Missouri usually have information about who pays what at closing and can help you save on closing costs.

Here are some of the prime seller closing costs in Missouri.

1. REALTOR Fee

The seller pays real estate commissions to both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent. The real estate commissions in Missouri usually amount to 5%-6% of the agreement value.

» How To Negotiate Real Estate Commission: Check out this blog to find how to negotiate REALTOR commissions like a pro!

2. Recording Fee

The recording fee is paid by the seller to make the real estate transaction a matter of public record. In Missouri, the recording fee ranges from $600 to $700 across different counties.

3. Home Inspection Fee

Sellers can opt for a home inspection to identify any major defects and issues, like plumbing issues, water damage, mold, appliance malfunction, etc., in the house that they must resolve before selling.

This can be done before the property is listed on the market (pre-inspection) or just before the closing. Home inspection in Missouri usually costs around $400-$600.

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

» How Much is Home Inspection Cost in Missouri: Home inspection is a crucial part of a real estate transaction. Read to know more.

4. Escrow Fee

An escrow agent is an unbiased third party who helps you and the buyer complete the transaction. They clear the house for sale, transfer the ownership to the buyer, and the respective funds to the seller.

The escrow fee is the remuneration charged by the escrow agent for their services.

» How Much are Closing Costs in Missouri for Seller: Find out the details of ALL the closing costs in Missouri for sellers.

How Much are Closing Costs for Buyers in Missouri?

These are the closing costs paid by the buyer while acquiring the property ownership from the seller. Like seller closing costs, these too are negotiable. Hence, hiring a buyer’s agent can help you save on closing costs.

We have listed some of the prime buyer closing costs.

1. Loan Origination Fees

Some mortgage lenders charge buyers a loan origination fee to execute the loan with other respective documentation and legal formalities. The loan origination fee usually amounts to 1% of the mortgage loan amount.

2. Mortgage Escrow Account/ Impound Account

The mortgage lender reserves a part of the buyer’s monthly mortgage payments in an escrow or impound account by the mortgage lender. This reserve is maintained to pay the property tax and homeowners insurance premiums.

A mortgage servicer manages the mortgage escrow account and makes the payments on behalf of the buyer.

3. Title Insurance

Title insurance is offered by a title company to protect the insurer against any type of loss with respect to any outstanding taxes, unpaid dues, default in the title, or any violations. In Missouri, title insurance could cost around $200-$250.

» Who Pays for Title Insurance in Missouri: Check out who pays for title insurance in CT

4. Appraisal Fee

Appraisal fees are paid to the professional appraiser who assesses the home value and ensures you get the best competitive price.

The home appraisal cost in Missouri varies between $300 and $500, depending on the property characteristics like its actual saleable area and its geographical location.

» How Much are Buyer Closing Costs in Missouri: Find out the details of ALL the closing costs in New Jersey for buyers.

How are Closing Costs Calculated?

It is important to calculate closing costs while selling a house or buying one.

The estimated closing costs give sellers an idea about the home equity they will have after the sale and helps buyers find out the amount they will have to pay over and above the agreement value of the house.

» Closing Cost Calculator: Check out the closing costs calculator for calculating the closing costs for your real estate transaction.

How to Calculate Closing Costs for Seller?

Houzeo’s Home Sale Calculator helps calculate closing costs for sellers in Missouri with a swish and a click! All the sellers have to do is enter their property location, home sale price, mortgage payoff, seller agent commission, and buyer agent commission, and voila!

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

» Seller Closing Cost Calculator Missouri: Check out the seller closing costs calculator for calculating the closing costs for seller.

How to Calculate Closing Costs for Buyer?

Houzeo’s Buyer Closing Cost Calculator helps calculate closing costs for buyers in Missouri. For finding the estimated buyer closing costs, the buyers have to add the property location, home purchase price, and the down payment in the buyer closing cost estimator.

The closing cost calculator for buyer gives a detailed list of the estimated closing costs for buyer in Missouri.

Home buyers can find out everything right from origination fee, appraisal fee and survey fee to title search, attorney fee, recording fee, prepaid interest charges, escrow property taxes, and owner’s title insurance.

The Buyers Closing Cost Calculator even shows which fees have to be paid before closing and which ones have to be paid at closing.

» Buyer Closing Cost Calculator Missouri: Check out the closing costs calculator for buyer for calculating the closing costs for buyer.

Closing Costs in Missouri for Refinance

Before we dive into closing costs for refinance, let’s look at the term refinance:

What is Refinancing?

Refinance, also called “Refi,” is nothing but replacing your current loan with one that offers a lower rate of interest. This helps lower monthly mortgage payments.

How Much are Closing Costs in Missouri for Refinance?

Refinancing closing costs are the sum of several expenses paid against any services that were used in the process of underwriting and closing on your mortgage loan, which makes up 3%-5% of the mortgage amount.

The closing cost for refinancing would vary with respect to the property’s location.

Junk Closing Costs to Watch Out For

Junk costs are the additional costs that are imposed by the mortgage lender. These are usually excessive but can be challenged and negotiated for a fairer price. Some of these are:

• Application Fee: The buyer pays this fee to the lender when applying for the mortgage. Not all lenders charge an application fee.
• Loan Processing Fee: The lender charges this fee to execute the loan once it has been approved.Borrowers can negotiate for these charges to be waived.
• Mortgage Rate Lock Fee: This fee is a guarantee that the lender will honor the pre-agreed interest rate for a said amount for a set period.
• Underwriting Fee: Mortgage underwriters charge underwriting fee to evaluate and verify loan applications. It is a non-recurring fee. Some lenders charge it in place of the originating fee, while others charge it in addition to the same.
• Courier Fee: A fee of $20-$50 is typically charged in order to cover the courier transactions.

Note: The costs vary by region.

Conclusion

The closing cost in Missouri is the mandatory fee that needs to be paid by the seller & the buyer. This is paid over and above the mortgage loan amount. Where the buyer pays 2%-5% and the seller pays 6%-10% against their share of the closing cost.

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Houzeo’s customer-centric approach, advanced technology, and flat fee packages make it an ideal choice for those looking to avoid paying high commissions and closing costs.

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