The average home buyer in Washington spends between $46,494 and $162,759 when purchasing a $591,888 home — the state median value.
Keep in mind, this is just the cost of buying a home. After you close, you'll still need to budget for all the ongoing costs of homeownership.
Luckily, Clever Real Estate can help make buying a home more affordable. Working with a Clever agent means you'll not only get great service from start to finish, but you could also be eligible for up to 0.5% cash back after closing. That's about $2,959 back on an average-priced home in Washington!
Clever will connect you with a top local agent and send you a check after closing. Contact Clever for full-service realtor recommendations.
Average closing costs in Washington
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| Earnest money deposit (1-3%) | $5,919 to $17,757 |
| Down payment (3.5-20%) | $20,716 to $118,378 |
| Cash reserves | $6,250 to $9,375 |
| Closing costs (2.01%) | $11,900 |
| Inspection | $230 |
| Appraisal | $230 |
| Moving | $1,250 to $4,890 |
| Total | $46,494 to $162,759 |
Buyer closing costs in Washington
While the other costs to buy a house in Washington are pretty transparent, Washington closing costs are a bit more nuanced. They're actually a series of smaller costs lumped together into one total. Here's a breakdown of all of the Washington closing costs you'll likely pay when buying a home.
| Closing cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Closing fee | $592 |
| Recording fee | $119 |
| Title service fees | $1,044 |
| Origination fee | $2,959 |
| Underwriting fee | $600 |
| Discount points | $4,735 per point |
| Lender's title insurance | $720 |
| Owner's title insurance | $1,131 |
| Prorated property tax | Varies |
| REET (Real Estate Excise Tax) | Typically paid by seller |
| Total | $11,900 |
Does the buyer or seller pay closing costs in Washington?
The seller typically pays the bulk of the closing costs in Washington. The seller is responsible for costs like title insurance, real estate transfer tax, and recording fees. The seller also pays their listing agent.
- Traditionally, the seller set the fee they were willing to pay a buyer's agent.
- In August 2024, a lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors changed this so that buyer's agents have to negotiate rates directly with the buyers they represent.
- Most buyers will still ask sellers to pay this fee as a concession from their sale proceeds, so the buyer doesn't have to bring more cash to closing.
Will the NAR lawsuit change how real estate commission works?
After losing a lawsuit over their practices in 2024, the National Association of Realtors agreed to change how real estate professionals do business.
As of August 2024, buyer's agents are required to sign an "agency agreement" before providing services to a buyer. This agreement has to specify what services the agent will provide, and how much they will get paid.
Real estate agents are no longer allowed to split commissions with one another. In the past, it was common for a listing agent to collect a 6% fee from the seller, and then split this fee with a buyer's agent who brought a buyer. Going forward, buyer's agents will have to negotiate their fee directly with the buyer they represent.
Learn more about how the lawsuit will impact buyers and sellers.
Keep in mind, closing costs are often negotiable. Motivated sellers will sometimes agree to pay for some of the buyer's closing costs. However, to win the negotiation battle, you'll need a great agent who can work out a deal with the seller. Clever can match you with a top agent in your area that can get the seller to shoulder more of the above costs.
Contact us at Clever for top agent recommendations.Cost to buy a house in Washington calculator
Ongoing costs of homeownership in Washington
Unfortunately, the cost to buy a house is just the beginning. After closing, you'll officially own the home and begin paying for the ongoing costs of homeownership.
Besides the expenses outlined above, you'll also want to consider private mortgage insurance (PMI) and homeowner's association (HOA) fees.
- If you pay less than 20% as a down payment on your house, you'll probably have to pay PMI monthly until you get to 20% equity. For the average Washington homeowner, this is between $257 to $872 a month.
- Some neighborhoods have HOA fees for the care and maintenance of common areas. The national average is around $250 per month.
» MORE: The true cost of homeownership
Top ways to save money when buying a house in Washington
1. Look into better financing options
Paying off debts and getting your credit in the best shape possible before applying for a loan will help you get a better interest rate, which will lower your monthly payments for the life of the loan.
You can also shop around to compare lenders so you get the lowest fees and interest rates available. It may be a good idea to enlist the help of a mortgage broker if you're not sure how to go about vetting lenders.
2. Participate in home buyer programs in Washington
The Washington State Housing Finance Commission offers several programs to make home buying more affordable, such as the Home Advantage Program. This is a low fixed-rate loan with the option for down payment assistance.
There's also the House Key Opportunity Program, a favorable loan option for first-time homebuyers. It also offers down payment assistance to eligible buyers, as well as Mortgage Credit Certificates (MCC).
There’s also a number of regional-specific programs that you may apply for — the HUD lists a few.
» MORE: First-time home buyer programs everyone should know about
3. Partner with an expert agent
Some real estate companies, like Clever, offer home buyers a percentage of their home's price back after the sale finalizes.
That means if you work with a Clever agent, you'll not only get the expertise that helps you get the best deal possible — you could also get up to 0.5% of your home price back after closing!
Clever matches you with top local agents so you can compare options and choose the best fit. And eligible buyers can get cash back after closing.
Fill out the form below and get started now. Clever's service is 100% free with no obligation.
Methodology
The Clever team of researchers gathered data for property taxes, transfer taxes, and recording fees using publicly available information. We found average costs for attorney fees, title insurance, and other services by requesting quotes from local providers.
Home values are based on Zillow data as of August 2024.
