{"id":228661,"date":"2026-04-28T09:16:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T13:16:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/?p=228661"},"modified":"2026-04-28T09:16:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T13:16:27","slug":"how-to-get-closing-costs-waived","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Closing Costs Waived? (2024 Updates)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u270f\ufe0f<\/strong> Editor’s Note: <\/strong>Realtor Associations, agents, and MLS’ have started implementing changes related to the NAR’s $418 million settlement. While home-sellers will likely save thousands in commission, compliance and litigation risks have significantly increased for sellers throughout the nation. Learn how NAR’s settlement affects home sellers<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Whatever end of a real estate deal you\u2019re on, closing costs<\/a> are bitter pills to swallow. Not only do they increase the overall outlay for buyers, but they also cut into sellers’ profits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, closing costs are mandatory. But that doesn’t mean there’s no wiggle room. With careful negotiations, special mortgage terms, rebates, and FSBO strategies, buyers and sellers can reduce closing costs to an insignificant value. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, here’s how to get closing costs waived for both sellers and buyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Get Closing Costs Waived As a Seller<\/strong>?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sellers usually have to part with 6-10%<\/a> of their property value at the time of closing. To prevent that, here’s how to avoid paying closing costs when selling a house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Choose \u201cFor Sale By Owner\u201d (FSBO)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Agent commissions<\/a> make up for almost half of the closing costs. With FSBO<\/a>, sellers can act as their own agents, dodge the commissions, and bring down closing costs without a realtor to a mere 2% of the sale price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, FSBO is a lot of work \u2013 marketing, communicating with buyers, negotiating, etc. You can simplify your selling journey with Houzeo\u2019s Flat Fee MLS<\/a> platform, perfect for FSBO sellers who want to minimize closing costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Opt for a Discount Broker or a Flat Fee Realtor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sellers can also opt for discount brokers<\/a> or low-commission realtors and kick the commissions down to 1-1.5%. This will further reduce the closing costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, some agents also offer markdowns if sellers refer them to their buyer for their next real estate sale. Sellers can also get rid of percentage charges entirely by choosing flat-fee realtors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Request an All Cash Offer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There are many property investors and companies that\u00a0buy houses for cash<\/a>\u00a0and in \u201cas is\u201d condition. Some of these investors also cover closing costs as a part of the deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For sellers looking to make quick cash, this means zero staging costs, no agent commissions, and minimal closing costs. But remember that one can only get 30% to 70% of the home\u2019s Fair Market Value<\/a> in all cash transactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Get Closing Costs Waived As a Buyer<\/strong>?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Buyers usually pay 2-7%<\/a>of the purchase price in closing costs, which is an unwelcome out-of-pocket expense. But there are many ways to lighten the load. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s <\/strong>how to avoid paying closing costs when buying a house:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Opt for a Rebate Program<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A rebate allows buyers to lower their closing costs in exchange for a higher mortgage interest rate. Yes, this reduces a buyer’s initial expenses. But it also raises total payable interest throughout the tenure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To avoid these inflated interest rates, buyers can always choose post-purchase refinancing<\/a> and secure better loan terms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.<\/strong> Go for a No Closing Cost Mortgage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Based on the price of the house, the closing costs can run into four or five figures. Instead of paying these in lumpsum, buyers can choose a no-closing-cost mortgage<\/a>. Using this, buyers can spread the closing costs over several years as those get padded into the interest rate or principal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Give a <\/strong><\/strong>Solid Offer<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Make an offer they can\u2019t refuse. Sellers like nothing more than to get their house off the market quickly. So, it\u2019s likely that they will shoulder some of the buyer’s burden, particularly the closing costs if the price gets their attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Make a Smaller Down Payment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A smaller down payment<\/a> doesn’t reduce closing costs, but it allows buyers to allocate more funds to service them. Typically, a mortgage demands a 3% down payment. If buyers stick to the minimum, they might have the flexibility to manage closing costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, a smaller down payment will result in higher monthly payments and interest over the loan’s duration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Research and Compare Lenders<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A chunk of the buyers\u2019 closing costs comes from fees linked to the mortgage. So, before one dives into pre-qualifications<\/a>, shop around for lenders that offer favorable loan terms to save on closing costs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buyers can start with their own bank as they usually have loan offers for existing customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bottom Line<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While it’s not possible to completely evade closing costs, buyers and sellers can negotiate it down to an incidental value. With our valuable tips on how to get closing costs waived, both buyers and sellers can come out of a deal with a profit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Houzeo, you no longer have to rack your brains wondering how to not pay closing costs. Thanks to Houzeo’s Flat-Fee MLS<\/a> platform, you can reduce your closing costs to a trivial amount and keep most of what you make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FAQs on How to Get Closing Costs Waived<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat if I can't afford closing costs?\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

As a buyer, you can always ask your lender to kick down some fees or opt for a zero closing cost mortgage<\/a> to spread the cost burden over the loan\u2019s tenure. As a seller, you can negotiate and knock down some percentage points from the realtor\u2019s fee, opt for Flat Fee MLS, discount brokers, or go FSBO. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHow much are closing costs and realtor fees?\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

For sellers, the average closing costs are around 6-10% of their home\u2019s selling price. On the other hand, buyers usually dish out 2-7% of the purchase price as closing costs, majority of which are lender-related fees. The average realtor commissions<\/a> lie between 4% and 6% of the home\u2019s worth.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tIs there a way to avoid closing costs?\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

No, You cannot avoid closing costs<\/a> as a seller or a buyer. However, you can save hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars with smart planning. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

While closing costs cannot be waived completely you can save thousands by using the right negotiating...<\/p><\/div>

5 mins read<\/span>Apr 28, 2026<\/span><\/div>","protected":false},"author":102,"featured_media":431621,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46226],"tags":[24971,24972],"class_list":["post-228661","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-seller","tag-how-to-get-closing-costs-waived","tag-waive-closing-costs"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Get Closing Costs Waived? (2023 Updates)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to get closing costs waived when buying or selling. Save money on your real estate deal in 2023 with our expert tips.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Get Closing Costs Waived? (2023 Updates)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how to get closing costs waived when buying or selling. Save money on your real estate deal in 2023 with our expert tips.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Houzeo Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-28T13:16:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-28T13:16:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/How-to-Get-Closing-Costs-Waived.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"840\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Bhagyesh Behere\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Bhagyesh Behere\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Get Closing Costs Waived? (2023 Updates)","description":"Learn how to get closing costs waived when buying or selling. Save money on your real estate deal in 2023 with our expert tips.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Get Closing Costs Waived? (2023 Updates)","og_description":"Learn how to get closing costs waived when buying or selling. Save money on your real estate deal in 2023 with our expert tips.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/","og_site_name":"Houzeo Blog","article_published_time":"2026-04-28T13:16:21+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-28T13:16:27+00:00","og_image":[{"width":840,"height":450,"url":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/How-to-Get-Closing-Costs-Waived.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Bhagyesh Behere","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Bhagyesh Behere","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/","url":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/","name":"How to Get Closing Costs Waived? (2023 Updates)","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/How-to-Get-Closing-Costs-Waived.webp","datePublished":"2026-04-28T13:16:21+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-28T13:16:27+00:00","description":"Learn how to get closing costs waived when buying or selling. Save money on your real estate deal in 2023 with our expert tips.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/how-to-get-closing-costs-waived\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/How-to-Get-Closing-Costs-Waived.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/How-to-Get-Closing-Costs-Waived.webp","width":840,"height":450,"caption":"How to Get Closing Costs Waived"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/","name":"Houzeo Blog","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Houzeo","url":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/new-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/new-logo.png","width":190,"height":55,"caption":"Houzeo"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228661","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228661"}],"version-history":[{"count":139,"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228661\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":925130,"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228661\/revisions\/925130"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/431621"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228661"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228661"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.houzeo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228661"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}