Simple Closing Cost Calculator for Buyers
See your real cash-to-close math for King County, editable field by field.
Direct answer
Cash to close is your down payment plus closing costs, minus your deposit and credits, plus or minus adjustments, per CFPB. The calculator's buyer mode lets you enter price, down payment, rate, prepaids, and fees, plus one credits field, so you see your own total, not a national average.
Cash to Close, in One Simple Formula
CFPB describes cash to close as down payment plus closing costs, minus your deposit, credits, and other adjustments. Closing costs themselves exclude the down payment. Two separate numbers, one final total. The buyer calculator keeps them separate so you can see where your money actually goes.
Down Payment vs. Closing Costs Are Not the Same
Your down payment and your closing costs are separate figures in a purchase. Closing costs cover the loan, title, escrow, and recording, not the price of the home itself. Zillow's national buyer benchmark runs 2%-5% of price for closing costs, separate from your down payment. Selling too? See our seller closing cost calculator.
Your Earnest Money Deposit Reduces Cash Needed
Earnest money is a deposit that counts toward your cash to close, per CFPB. It's subtracted from what you owe at closing, so your final wire is smaller than your down payment plus costs alone.
Lender Fees, Prepaids, and Title/Escrow Costs
Buyer fields include lender fees, appraisal, prepaid interest, property tax reserves, insurance, lender title, escrow, and recording. King County recording runs about $304.50 for a Deed of Trust, plus $1 per extra page. Each field is editable, so you can match your own Loan Estimate.
Lender Credits and Seller Credits
Lender credits offset upfront costs but usually raise your interest rate, per CFPB. Seller credits, negotiated in your contract, also reduce what you owe at closing. The calculator has one credits field for your total amount. For who typically pays what, see who pays closing costs.
Loan Estimate vs. Closing Disclosure
Your Loan Estimate shows projected loan costs and shoppable services early on. Your Closing Disclosure shows final numbers and should arrive at least three business days before a mortgage closing, per CFPB. Compare the two documents line by line before you sign anything.
Editable Inputs Let You Test Your Own Numbers
The tool needs no email or login. Change price, down payment, rate, and each fee individually, and the total updates live. This is not a quote. For the full calculator, see the complete closing cost calculator.
Cash Buyers Skip Mortgage Fees, Not All Costs
Set down payment to 100% and mortgage-only fees to zero if you're paying cash. Title, escrow, recording, insurance, property-tax adjustments, and inspection costs can still apply. See the cash buyer version at /articles/cash-closing-cost-calculator for a version built around that scenario.
Why King County Numbers Differ from National Ranges
Zillow's calculator cites a national range of 2%-5% for buyer costs, but says costs vary by location, loan, price, providers, and points. King County recording fees, local REET, and lender pricing all shift your real total. See our King County buyer cost breakdown for a full local look.
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Questions
Q1How does my down payment differ from my closing costs?+
Your down payment and closing costs are separate numbers in the transaction. Closing costs cover the loan, title, and escrow fees, not the home's price. The two amounts combine, minus credits and adjustments, to equal your total cash to close. Enter both separately in the calculator to see your real total.
Q2Does earnest money count toward my cash to close?+
Yes. Per CFPB, earnest money is a deposit that counts toward your total cash to close. It's subtracted from what you owe at closing, so it reduces your final amount rather than adding to it.
Q3What are lender credits and how do they work?+
Lender credits reduce your upfront closing costs in exchange for a higher interest rate, per CFPB. Enter a credit amount in the calculator's single credits field to see the effect on your total cash to close.
Q4Can a seller credit lower my cash to close?+
Yes. A seller credit, negotiated in your purchase contract, reduces what you owe at closing. It's not guaranteed and varies by offer. The calculator's single credits field lets you model different credit amounts and see the total change.
Q5What are prepaid taxes and insurance?+
Prepaids cover upfront property tax reserves and homeowners insurance your lender collects at closing to fund your escrow account. They're part of closing costs, not the down payment. The buyer calculator has separate fields for property tax/reserves and insurance so you can edit each.
Q6What counts as a shoppable service?+
Per CFPB, shoppable services are costs like title insurance, where you can choose your own provider instead of using the lender's default option. Your Loan Estimate lists these separately from fixed lender fees. The calculator has an editable services field so you can match your own quotes.
Q7Why do I get three days to review my Closing Disclosure?+
Per CFPB, you should generally receive your Closing Disclosure at least three business days before a mortgage closing. That window lets you compare it against your Loan Estimate and catch changes before you sign. Bring questions about differences to your lender directly.
Q8Why do my King County costs differ from a national estimate?+
National calculators cite ranges like Zillow's 2%-5% of price for buyer closing costs, but note costs vary by location, loan program, price, service providers, and points. King County recording fees and local lender pricing shift your real number away from that range. Use the calculator's local fields to see your own total.
Next step
Run your own numbers in the buyer calculator, then bring the results to a broker who can walk through them with you. Book a Real Estate Review to go over your specific price range, loan type, and King County property before you write an offer. Book a Real Estate Review
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Next steps
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