CLOSING COSTS: WHAT BUYERS & SELLERS TYPICALLY PAY FOR

Closing Costs are fees and expenses, over and above the price of the property, incurred by the buyer and/or the seller in the property ownership transfer. Examples are title searches, closing services, loan fees and deed filing fees. Also called settlement costs. There are two sides (buyer and seller) to the equation when determining closing costs. Below is a simple customary closing cost list. Keep in mind these are typical, but should not be considered hard fast rules, feel free to consult your real estate agent for more detail.

• Seller Normally Pays for:

• One-half of the escrow fee (according to contract)

• Work orders (according to contract)

• Owner’s title insurance premiums

• Real estate commission

• Any judgments, tax liens, etc. against the seller

• Any unpaid Homeowner Association dues

• Home Warranty (according to contract)

• Any bonds or assessments (according to contract)

• Recording charges to clear all documents of record against seller

• Payoff of all loans in seller’s name (or existing loan balance being assumed by buyer)

• Interest accrued to lender being paid off, reconveyance fees and any prepayment penalties

• Excise Tax (% based on county and sale price)

• Buyer Normally Pays for:

• One-half of the escrow fee (according to contract)

• Lender’s title policy premiums (ALTA)

• Document preparation (if applicable)

• Tax pro-ration (from date of acquisition)

• Recording charges for all documents in buyer’s names

• Home Owner’s insurance premium for first year

• Home Warranty (according to contract)

• Inspection fees (according to contract): roofing, property, geological, pest, etc.

• All new loan charges (except those required by lender for seller to pay)

• Interim interest on new loan from date of funding to first payment date

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CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU (CFPB)

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

Know Before You Close

WHAT IS CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU? (CFPB)

Know Before You Close

Simple answers about the CFPB and how the new rules will change real estate transactions.

What is CFPB?

After the 2008 financial meltdown, Congress established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). It was created in 2011 after the Dodd-Frank Act was placed into effect. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau provides information to consumers to understand financial agreements in which they enter. The CFPB strives to educate the purchaser on fair practices, enforce consumer laws, and analyze financial markets.

CFPB Primary Goals:

In Plain English, Please

For more than 30 years, federal law has required all lenders to provide two disclosure forms to consumers when they apply for a mortgage and two additional short forms before they close on the home loan. These forms were developed by different federal agencies under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA).

To help simplify matters and avoid the confusing situations consumers have often faced when purchasing or refinancing a home in the past, the Dodd-Frank Act provided for the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and charged the bureau with integrating the mortgage loan disclosures under the TILA and RESPA.

On November 20, 2013 the CFPB announced the completion of their new integrated mortgage disclosure forms along with their regulations (RESPA Regulation X and TILA Regulation Z) for the proper completion and timely delivery to the consumer. These regulations are known as “The Rule”.

Any residential loan originated after October 3, 2015 will be subject to the new rules and forms set forth by the CFPB*. The Rule replaces the Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and early TILA form with the new Loan Estimate. It also replaces the HUD-1 Settlement Statement and final TILA form with the new Closing Disclosure. The introduction of the new disclosure forms require changes to the systems that produce the closing forms. Fidelity National Title Group is already well underway in preparing our production systems to provide the new required fee quotes, prepare the new closing disclosure forms, and track the delivery and waiting periods required by the new regulations.

*Loans in progress (applications submitted prior to October 3, 2015) will use current TILA and RESPA forms.

Changes to the Closing Disclosure Timing

In addition to new forms for residential mortgage transactions, the new regulations also require delivery timetables for delivery to consumers, impacting when a closing can take place and disbursements made. Below is a preview of how the CFPB regulations will impact the closing process for transactions that originate after October 3, 2015.

Example Closing Calendar

For mortgage applications submitted on or after October 3, 2015, lenders must give you new, easier-to-use disclosures about your loan three business days before closing. This gives you time to review the terms of the deal before you get to the closing table.

Many things can change in the days leading up to closing. Most changes will not require your lender to give you three more business days to review the new terms before closing. The new rule allows for ordinary changes that do not alter the basic terms of the deal.

Only THREE changes require a new 3–day review:

1. The APR (annual percentage rate) increases by more than 1/8 of a percent for fixed-rate loans or 1/4 of a percent for adjustable loans*. A decrease in APR will not require a new 3-day review if it is based on changes to interest rate or other fees.

2. A prepayment penalty is added, making it expensive to refinance or sell.

3. The basic loan product changes, such as a switch from fixed rate to adjustable interest rate or to a loan with interest-only payments.

* Lenders have been required to provide a 3-day review for these changes in APR since 2009.

NO OTHER changes require a new 3–day review:

There has been much misinformation and mistaken commentary around this point. Any other changes in the days leading up to closing do not require a new 3-day review, although the lender will still have to provide an updated disclosure. For instance, the following circumstances do not require a new 3-day review:

• Unexpected discoveries on a walk-through such as a broken refrigerator or a missing stove, even if they require seller credits to the buyer.

• Most changes to payments made at closing, including the amount of the real estate commission, taxes and utilities proration, and the amount paid into escrow.

• Typos found at the closing table.

Source: consumerfinance.gov

PURCHASE TITLE / ESCROW ORDER WORKFLOW

Items Performed By Lender

Send REALTOR

ITEMS PERFORMED BY TICOR:

Loan Estimate Delivered to Consumer

Lender Logs on to customer.ticortitle.com to obtain title/escrow fees and sends Loan Estimate to Consumer

Lender Approves Loan

Instructions & CD to Escrow

Lender sends Lender Instructions and Closing Disclosure to Escrow

Payoffs/Liens

Lender Reviews & Delivers CD to Consumer

Lender makes corrections to Closing Disclosure and sends to buyer for signature

Seller’s CD Sent Closing Disclosure delivered to Seller

CD Delivery Period Begins

Order Received

Send escrow number to lender and order preliminary title report

Title Report

Preliminary Title Report received, reviewed and delivered to all parties

Payoffs/Liens ordered

Escrow Instructions to Consumers

Lender Funds

Lender Reviews Executed Loan Documents & Funds

Escrow Reviews CD

Escrow reviews Closing Disclosure and sends any corrections to Lender within 24 hours

Sellers Sign Documents

Sellers called in for signing

CD Approved

Escrow receives confirmation that Closing Disclosure has been approved

Loan Docs Received

Escrow receives loan documents and Buyers are called in for Consummation

Buyer Signs Buyer signs Loan Documents

Docs to Lender Executed Documents are sent back to Lender

Balance File

Escrow balances file and verifies all funds are received

File Records

Documents recorded

Closing Statements

Final Closing Statements are prepared and sent out to the Lender and all parties

Policy Issued

Final Homeowner’s Title Policy issued and sent to Buyer and Lender