The Buyer's Guide: Budgeting for Homeownership

As a buyer, you should know and anticipate that the cost to purchase a home is beyond just the selling price. There are additional fees associated with the purchase that will happen throughout the escrow period that you should plan for to ensure you’re not putting yourself at financial risk, and that you are fully prepared to spend additional dough after the offer is accepted. Here are a few of the smaller fees you’ll incur when purchasing a home that you should plan budget for.

Home inspection

One of the first things I’ll schedule with my clients after their offer has been accepted is their general home inspection. You want to get this on the books fast, as there is a set time-frame in which the buyer will be able to explore the home to discover things that need to be fixed, re: inspection period, which is generally 17 days, but can always be negotiated. The cost for this can vary and start around $300 to $500+.

Appraisal fee

Another step that happens after the offer is accepted (only if you’re financing your purchase) is your lender will order an appraisal. This is to ensure that the amount being lended to you is in line with the cost of the property. However, if your not financing and you’re planning paying cash, it is not required that you get an appraisal, but may want to do so to make sure you’re not overpaying the property. The cost for this varies between $200 - $475+.

Also, for a high level overview of all the costs to buy, see below an example of a Buyer’s Estimated Closing Costs on at $2,000,000 home brought to you by California Title Company.