✏️ Editor’s Note: 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.
Whatever end of a real estate deal you’re on, closing costs are bitter pills to swallow. Not only do they increase the overall outlay for buyers, but they also cut into sellers’ profits.
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.
So, here’s how to get closing costs waived for both sellers and buyers.
How to Get Closing Costs Waived As a Seller?
Sellers usually have to part with 6-10% of their property value at the time of closing. To prevent that, here’s how to avoid paying closing costs when selling a house.
1. Choose “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO)
Agent commissions make up for almost half of the closing costs. With FSBO, 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.
That said, FSBO is a lot of work – marketing, communicating with buyers, negotiating, etc. You can simplify your selling journey with Houzeo’s Flat Fee MLS platform, perfect for FSBO sellers who want to minimize closing costs.
2. Opt for a Discount Broker or a Flat Fee Realtor
Sellers can also opt for discount brokers or low-commission realtors and kick the commissions down to 1-1.5%. This will further reduce the closing costs.
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.
3. Request an All Cash Offer
There are many property investors and companies in the market that buy houses for cash and in “as is” condition. Some of these investors also cover closing costs as a part of the deal.
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’s Fair Market Value in all cash transactions.
How to Get Closing Costs Waived As a Buyer?
Buyers usually pay 2-7% of the purchase price in closing costs, which is an unwelcome out-of-pocket expense. But there are many ways to lighten the load.
Here’s how to avoid paying closing costs when buying a house:
1. Opt for a Rebate Program
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.
To avoid these inflated interest rates, buyers can always choose post-purchase refinancing and secure better loan terms.
2. Go for a No Closing Cost Mortgage
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. Using this, buyers can spread the closing costs over several years as those get padded into the interest rate or principal.
3. Give a Solid Offer
Make an offer they can’t refuse. Sellers like nothing more than to get their house off the market quickly. So, it’s likely that they will shoulder some of the buyer’s burden, particularly the closing costs if the price gets their attention.
4. Make a Smaller Down Payment
A smaller down payment 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.
However, a smaller down payment will result in higher monthly payments and interest over the loan’s duration.
5. Research and Compare Lenders
A chunk of the buyers’ closing costs comes from fees linked to the mortgage. So, before one dives into pre-qualifications, shop around for lenders that offer favorable loan terms to save on closing costs.
Buyers can start with their own bank as they usually have loan offers for existing customers.
The Bottom Line
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.
With Houzeo, you no longer have to rack your brains wondering how to not pay closing costs. Thanks to Houzeo’s Flat-Fee MLS platform, you can reduce your closing costs to a trivial amount and keep most of what you make.
FAQs on How to Get Closing Costs Waived
What if I can't afford closing costs?
As a buyer, you can always ask your lender to kick down some fees or opt for a zero closing cost mortgage to spread the cost burden over the loan’s tenure. As a seller, you can negotiate and knock down some percentage points from the realtor’s fee, opt for Flat Fee MLS, discount brokers, or go FSBO.
How much are closing costs and realtor fees?
For sellers, the average closing costs are around 6-10% of their home’s 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 lie between 4% and 6% of the home’s worth.
Is there a way to avoid closing costs?
No, You cannot avoid closing costs as a seller or a buyer. However, you can save hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars with smart planning.
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