Click any highlighted field and type. Your entries save automatically in this browser, so you can close the page and come back. Fill in every field with your own market's real numbers, and verify each range with your preferred lender and title company β ranges vary enormously by state, price point, and loan type, so a number that's right in Austin is wrong in Sacramento. Fields like City and Your Name fill in everywhere at once. When you're done, hit Print / Save as PDF and you have your lead magnet. This is the resource behind the "Comment COSTS" post in your September content.
The Buyer's Cost Sheet
Every real number, the full timeline, and the questions worth asking β before you tour a single house. Nobody hands buyers this. So here it is.
What you pay before closing
These come out of pocket during the process, not at the closing table. Some are credited back to you at closing, some are gone either way.
| Cost | What it is | Typical in [Market] |
|---|---|---|
| Earnest money | Your good-faith deposit, held in escrow. Credited toward your closing costs or down payment. | [$X β $X] |
| Option / due diligence fee | If your state uses one β buys you a window to walk away. Usually non-refundable. | [$X β $X] |
| Home inspection | Your inspector, your report. Paid at the time of inspection. | [$X β $X] |
| Specialty inspections | Sewer, roof, foundation, pest, pool β only if the general inspection flags something. | [$X β $X] |
| Appraisal | Ordered by your lender, paid by you. Confirms the home is worth the loan. | [$X β $X] |
| Survey | Where required in [State]. Sometimes the seller's existing survey works. | [$X β $X] |
| Out of pocket before closing | Roughly what to have liquid and ready | [$X β $X] |
What you pay at closing
This is the number that surprises people. It is separate from your down payment, and "2 to 5 percent" is not a useful answer β so here is the actual line-item version for [Market].
| Line item | What it covers | Typical in [Market] |
|---|---|---|
| Loan origination | Your lender's fee for making the loan. | [$X β $X] |
| Discount points | Optional. Paying up front to lower your rate. | [$X or 0] |
| Underwriting & processing | Lender administrative fees. | [$X β $X] |
| Credit report & verification | Pulled at application and again before closing. | [$X β $X] |
| Title search | Confirms the seller can actually sell it. | [$X β $X] |
| Lender's title insurance | Required by your lender. Protects them. | [$X β $X] |
| Owner's title insurance | Optional in some states, customary in others. Protects you. Get it. | [$X β $X] |
| Escrow / closing fee | Paid to the title or escrow company handling the closing. | [$X β $X] |
| Recording fees & transfer tax | Government charges to record the deed. Varies by county in [State]. | [$X β $X] |
| Prepaid interest | Interest from closing day to the end of that month. | [$X β $X] |
| Homeowner's insurance | First year usually paid in full at closing. | [$X β $X] |
| Property tax escrow | Several months collected up front to fund your escrow account. | [$X β $X] |
| HOA transfer & dues | Only if the property has an HOA. Ask early β these vary wildly. | [$X β $X] |
| Mortgage insurance | If you're putting less than 20% down. Sometimes an up-front premium too. | [$X β $X] |
| Estimated closing costs | On a [$X] purchase price in [Market] | [$X β $X] |
The number that actually matters
Down payment + closing costs + pre-closing out of pocket = what you need to buy. On a [$X] home in [Market] with [X]% down, that's roughly [$X]. Your lender will give you a Loan Estimate within three business days of applying, and that document is the real answer β this sheet just tells you what to expect before you get there.
The timeline, start to keys
What happens, roughly when, and what you're responsible for at each step. Timelines in [Market] typically run [X] to [X] days from accepted offer to closing.
Get fully pre-approved
Not pre-qualified. Pre-approved, with documents actually reviewed. This determines your budget and makes your offer credible.
Touring and offers
We look, we narrow, we write. Expect this to take longer than you think and to change what you want along the way.
Offer accepted
Earnest money is wired within [X] days β only to a number you verified by phone, never from an emailed instruction.
Inspection window
Your leverage window, and it's short. Inspection happens, the report lands, and we decide what to ask for.
Repair negotiation
We ask for what matters and let go of what doesn't. Most of a scary-looking report is normal.
Appraisal
Your lender orders it. If it comes in low, we have options β renegotiate, bring cash, or walk, depending on your contract.
Underwriting
They will ask for documents you already sent. Send them again, same day. Do not open a credit card, buy a car, or change jobs.
Title, survey, insurance
Title search runs, survey is ordered if needed, and you bind your homeowner's policy. Do the insurance earlier than feels necessary.
Clear to close
The best three words in this business. You'll get your Closing Disclosure β compare it to your Loan Estimate and ask about anything that moved.
Final walkthrough
Check that repairs were done, appliances run, and nothing broke during the move-out. Most people check nothing. Check.
Sign and get keys
Bring your ID and your wired funds confirmation. Expect [X] to [X] minutes of signing. Then it's yours.
Five questions to ask a lender
These will save you more than shopping the rate will. Ask all five, to every lender you talk to, and compare the answers side by side.
"What's my APR, not just my rate?"
The rate is the headline. The APR includes the fees, and it's the only number that lets you compare two lenders honestly.
"Can I see a full Loan Estimate, not a quote?"
A Loan Estimate is a standardized federal form. A "quote" is whatever they want it to be. Only one of them is comparable across lenders.
"What would it cost to buy the rate down, and where's the break-even?"
Points can be worth it or a waste depending on how long you'll stay. The break-even month is the whole answer.
"What are all the ways I can put less down without hurting my offer?"
Down payment assistance, [State] first-time buyer programs, gift funds, lender credits. A good lender knows what you qualify for.
"Who actually answers the phone at 6pm when we're writing an offer?"
The best rate in the world is worthless if nobody picks up when a deadline is twelve hours away.
What you can ask the seller to cover
In the current [Market] market, sellers say yes to more than most buyers realize. Here's what's actually on the table and how to word it.
A rate buydown
Often better for you than a price cut, and often easier for a seller to accept because the sticker price stays intact. Ask your lender to run both so you can compare the monthly difference.
General closing cost credit
The most common concession. There are limits based on your loan type and down payment β your lender will tell you the ceiling.
Repairs, or a credit instead of repairs
A credit is usually better than a repair β you control who does the work and how well. Ask for the credit unless it's a lender-required fix.
A home warranty
Small ask, frequently granted, and genuinely useful in year one.
A longer option or inspection period
Costs the seller nothing and buys you time. Worth asking for on any home you're unsure about.
[Your Name]
[Your title] Β· [Your brokerage] Β· [License # if required in your state]
[Email]
[Website or Instagram handle]
Serving [City], [Neighborhoods], and [Service Area]
Questions about anything on this sheet? Ask me. That's the job, and there's no charge for a conversation.
