What closing costs are, and how much you'll pay in San Diego.
A line-by-line look at what buyers pay, plus a calculator for your price.
See how much of this your rebate covers
The short version
- With a loan, San Diego buyers typically pay about 2% of the loan amount in closing costs, including prepaids.
- Fees level off on pricier homes. Prepaid taxes, insurance and interest keep rising with price.
- Your rebate is applied to closing costs first.
Who pays what in San Diego County
This is local custom, not law. Your contract can move any of it, and in a slow market some of it does move.
| Cost | Usually paid by |
|---|---|
| Escrow fee | Split 50/50 |
| Owner's title policy | Seller |
| Lender's title policy | Buyer |
| County transfer tax ($1.10 per $1,000) | Seller |
| Lender fees, appraisal, prepaids | Buyer |
| Home inspection | Buyer |
| Termite report / NHD report | Often seller, negotiable |
Everything that counts as a closing cost
Lender costs
- Origination, underwriting and processing: $1,200–$3,000
- Appraisal: $500–$900, more above $1.5M
- Credit report, flood certification, tax service: $100–$300
- Discount points, if you buy any: 1% of the loan each
Title and escrow
- Lender's title policy, which scales with the loan
- Your half of the escrow fee
- Recording fees: $50–$300
- Notary and courier
Prepaids and reserves
- Prepaid interest from closing to month end
- First-year homeowners insurance
- 2–6 months of property tax reserves (San Diego runs about 1.05–1.25%, or 1.20–1.45% with Mello-Roos)
- 2 months of insurance reserves
Other
- Home inspection: $300–$600
- HOA transfer and document fees: $100–$500+
- Prorated HOA dues
The bill that shows up later
California reassesses the home when it sells, then sends a supplemental property tax bill for the gap between the old assessed value and what you paid, covering the rest of the tax year.
On a $1M purchase it can run $4,000–$15,000. It arrives months after closing, addressed to you rather than your lender, and it is not in your impound account. Save for it — here's how.
Estimate yours
San Diego buyer closing cost estimate
Freddie Mac average, week of 9/17/2026. Your rate will differ.
Closing later in the month means less prepaid interest.
Common in newer San Diego communities. Leave at 0 if none.
For the supplemental estimate. It's on the county assessor's site.
Estimated closing costs
$14,402
1.80% of a $800,000 loan
- Lender fees$2,700
- Title & escrow$3,125
- Inspection$500
- Prepaids & reserves$8,077
- Lender fees
- $1,800
- Appraisal
- $750
- Credit, flood and tax service
- $150
- Lender's title policy
- $1,700
- Your half of escrow
- $1,125
- Recording, notary, courier
- $300
- Home inspection
- $500
- Prepaid interest
- $2,285
- Homeowners insurance, year 1
- $2,500
- Property tax reserves (3 mo)
- $2,875
- Insurance reserves (2 mo)
- $417
- Fees subtotal
- $6,325
- Prepaids subtotal
- $8,077
- Total
- $14,402
Your rebate could cover
- Paperwork Done ($999 fee)
- $14,402
- Full Rep ($4,999 fee)
- $14,402
At a 3% seller offer, capped at your actual closing costs. A credit can't be paid out as cash.
Supplemental tax bill, later
$2,750
Arrives months after closing, addressed to you, not your lender. Not in your impound account.
Estimate using San Diego County averages, reviewed 2026-09-24. Your lender's Loan Estimate is the number that counts.
For an exact title and escrow quote, use Chicago Title's calculator or First American's.
Closing costs add up. Here's a way to cover them.
On a $1M home, the seller pays your agent about $30,000. We keep a flat $4,999 and give you the rest, around $25,000. Use it to buy your rate down from 7% to as low as 5% and take over $900 off your monthly payment in year one.
See your new paymentExample temporary rate buydown on a $1M San Diego home with 20% down and a 30-year fixed loan at 7%. The lower rate applies to the early years of the loan, and terms vary by lender. Assumes the seller offers 3% to the buyer's agent. Lender approval required. Estimate only, not a guarantee.
How SelfCloze helps
Your rebate is applied to closing costs first, which is exactly where it does the most good — it's the one bill you can't finance. The calculator below shows how much of your estimate each plan would absorb.
Questions people ask
- Can the seller pay my closing costs?
- Yes, within your loan programme's cap on interested-party contributions. It's negotiated in the offer, so it competes with price — a seller comparing two offers looks at their net.
- What's cash to close vs. closing costs?
- Closing costs are the fees and prepaids. Cash to close is that plus your down payment, minus your deposit and any credits. The bigger number on your final statement is cash to close.
- Why is my estimate different from my lender's Loan Estimate?
- Ours uses San Diego averages. Your Loan Estimate uses your actual lender's fees, your actual title company's rates and your real closing date. Theirs is the one that counts.
- What's the supplemental tax bill?
- California reassesses the home when it sells, then bills you for the difference between the old assessed value and your price for the rest of the tax year. It arrives months after closing, addressed to you rather than your lender, and it isn't in your impound account.
Buying next? What would $25,000 at closing do?
New home, new furniture, moving costs. The start is expensive. With SelfCloze, the fee the seller pays your agent mostly comes back to you. Use it to buy your rate down to as low as 5% and keep over $900 a month in your pocket in year one, right when you need it.
Run your numbersExample temporary rate buydown on a $1M San Diego home with 20% down and a 30-year fixed loan at 7%. The lower rate applies to the early years of the loan, and terms vary by lender. Assumes the seller offers 3% to the buyer's agent. Lender approval required. Estimate only, not a guarantee.
See how much of this your rebate covers