Texas Closing Costs San Antonio Austin Keller
Closing costs in Texas typically run 2% to 5% of the purchase price, and the total shifts depending on whether you’re buying in San Antonio, Austin, or Keller. On a $350,000 home, that means roughly $7,000 to $17,500 covering lender fees, title and escrow charges, county recording fees, and prepaid taxes and insurance. Property tax prorations create the biggest variance, since rates differ significantly across Bexar, Travis, and Tarrant counties.
Before You Budget for Closing
- Loan Estimate: Your lender must provide a Loan Estimate within three business days of application, itemizing every fee you will owe at closing.
- Earnest money: Most San Antonio, Austin, and Keller contracts require 1-2% earnest money deposited within three days of an executed contract.
- Title search delays: Unresolved liens or boundary disputes in older Texas neighborhoods can push closing back two to four weeks if caught late.
- Worth knowing: Texas buyer closing costs typically run 2-5% of the purchase price, so on a $350,000 home, budget $7,000 to $17,500 beyond your down payment.
What You Need at Closing
- Certified funds: Bring a cashier’s check or wire transfer for your closing balance. Most Texas title companies reject personal checks above $5,000, so confirm the exact amount 48 hours before.
- Title and survey: Texas requires owner’s title insurance and typically a new property survey. Together these run $2,500 to $4,500 depending on purchase price and lot size.
- Insurance binder: Lenders require proof of homeowner’s insurance before funding. In San Antonio, Austin, and Keller, annual premiums average $2,400 to $3,800 based on coverage and property age.
- Bottom line: Bexar, Travis, and Tarrant County property tax rates (1.8% to 2.3%) push your prepaid escrow deposit $2,000 to $5,000 higher than lower-tax states, so plan accordingly.
Texas Closing Cost Timeline
- Contract week: Title company orders a title search and opens escrow within 5-7 business days of your executed contract in Bexar, Travis, or Tarrant County.
- Underwriting phase: Your lender orders the appraisal ($350-$550 in most Texas metros), completes underwriting, and issues your initial closing disclosure around day 15-20.
- Final review: Federal law requires you receive the closing disclosure at least 3 business days before signing, so verify every lender fee, title charge, and prepaid item line by line.
- Typical timeline: Most Texas closings take 30-45 days from executed contract to keys, but cash deals in San Antonio and Keller can close in as few as 14 days.
What Closing Costs Run by City
- Lender fees: Origination, underwriting, and processing charges typically total 0.5% to 1% of the loan amount in all three Texas markets.
- Title and escrow: Texas title insurance rates are state-regulated, so San Antonio, Austin, and Keller buyers pay identical premiums, roughly $2,800 on a $400,000 purchase.
- Reducing the bill: Ask the seller to cover up to 6% on conventional loans or 4% on VA, and compare at least three title companies for lower escrow fees.
- Worth noting: Texas charges no real estate transfer tax, saving buyers $2,000 to $4,000 versus states that do, but survey fees ($400 to $600) catch many out-of-state movers off guard.
How much are closing costs in San Antonio, Texas?
Buyer closing costs in San Antonio typically run 2% to 5% of the purchase price, covering lender fees, title and escrow charges, county recording fees, and prepaid taxes and insurance. On a $300,000 home, expect roughly $6,000 to $15,000 depending on your loan type and lender.
What are typical closing costs on a $400,000 house?
On a $400,000 home in Texas, buyer closing costs typically run $8,000 to $16,000, covering lender fees, title and escrow charges, county recording fees, and prepaid taxes and insurance. Sellers pay separately, averaging around 3.26% of the sale price.
How much are closing costs in Austin, Texas?
Buyers in Austin typically pay 2% to 5% of the purchase price in closing costs. On a $550,000 home, that’s roughly $11,000 to $27,500. These costs cover lender fees, title and escrow charges, county recording fees, and prepaid property taxes and insurance.
The Bottom Line Up Front
Texas closing costs typically run 2% to 5% of the purchase price for buyers and roughly 3.26% for sellers, but the actual number shifts by market. San Antonio, Austin, and Keller each carry different county tax rates, title insurance premiums, and lender fee structures that change your final out-of-pocket figure at the closing table.
In Texas, sellers pay the owner’s title insurance policy (a state-regulated cost based on sale price), while buyers cover the lender’s title policy, loan origination fees, appraisal, survey, and prepaid property taxes. Bexar County (San Antonio) property tax rates average around 2.3%, Travis County (Austin) sits near 1.8%, and Tarrant County (Keller) runs about 2.2%. Those differences change your prepaid escrow deposit at closing. Austin’s higher median sale prices also push fixed-percentage costs higher in raw dollars, even when the rate stays the same.
- Buyer closing costs in Texas range from 2% to 5% of the purchase price on average.
- Sellers in Texas pay roughly 3.26% in closing costs before agent commissions are added.
- Bexar County property taxes near 2.3% increase prepaid escrow amounts for San Antonio buyers.
- Austin’s higher median home prices push dollar-amount closing costs above San Antonio and Keller.
- Texas sellers pay the owner’s title policy, a state-regulated cost tied directly to sale price.
Estimate Your Closing Costs in 60 Seconds
Multiply your purchase price by 0.02 and 0.05 to get your likely closing cost range in Texas. On a $350,000 home in San Antonio, that puts you between $7,000 and $17,500. Austin buyers at the $540,000 median are looking at $10,800 to $27,000. Keller, where median prices sit closer to $475,000, falls between $9,500 and $23,750. The spread depends on your lender, title company, and whether you negotiate seller contributions.
The low end of that range typically applies when your lender charges minimal origination fees and the seller covers part of title or escrow. The high end reflects scenarios where you’re prepaying a full year of homeowners insurance, funding an escrow reserve, and paying discount points to buy down your rate. Most buyers in the San Antonio and Keller markets land closer to 2.5% to 3.5% because competition allows more seller concessions than Austin’s tighter inventory does.
- Loan origination fee: usually 0.5% to 1% of the loan amount, charged by your lender for processing and underwriting
- Title insurance and escrow: $2,000 to $4,500 depending on purchase price and which title company you use
- Appraisal fee: $400 to $600 for a standard single-family home in the San Antonio, Austin, or Keller markets
- Prepaid property taxes: Texas has no state income tax, so property tax rates run 1.8% to 2.4% of assessed value, and lenders collect several months upfront
- Homeowners insurance premium: first year paid at closing, typically $1,800 to $3,200 annually depending on location and coverage
- Recording fees and transfer charges: county-level costs that run $100 to $300 in Bexar, Travis, and Tarrant counties
Run those numbers before you start touring homes. Knowing your actual cash-to-close figure prevents the surprise that kills deals two weeks before funding. If the total looks tight, ask your agent about negotiating seller-paid closing costs into the offer. In San Antonio and Keller especially, sellers still agree to cover 1% to 3% of the purchase price on properly structured contracts.
What Will You Actually Pay at the Table?
Your closing disclosure breaks that percentage range into specific line items, and some cost significantly more than others depending on where in Texas you buy. A buyer in Austin paying $450,000 faces a different fee stack than someone closing at $310,000 in San Antonio or $375,000 in Keller. Knowing each line item helps you negotiate seller credits and compare lender estimates side by side.
Title insurance is the single largest closing cost in Texas because the state sets premium rates by schedule. On a $350,000 purchase, the owner’s title policy runs about $2,021. Lender fees, including origination and underwriting charges, typically land between $1,000 and $2,500 depending on your loan product. Prepaid property taxes vary sharply by county. Bexar County’s effective rate sits near 1.9%, Travis County around 1.6%, and Tarrant County (Keller) at roughly 2.0%. Those tax prepaids alone can swing your cash-to-close by $1,500 or more between markets.
- Title insurance (owner’s policy): approximately $2,021 on a $350,000 purchase, set by the Texas Department of Insurance rate schedule
- Lender origination and underwriting fees: $1,000 to $2,500, varies by loan product and lender
- Escrow prepaids for property tax and homeowner’s insurance: 2 to 6 months collected upfront, often the second-largest line item
- Survey fee: $400 to $600 in most metro areas, required by nearly every Texas lender
- Recording and county fees: $50 to $150 depending on county
- Home inspection and appraisal: $500 to $900 combined, paid before closing but part of your total out-of-pocket
Add all these up on a $350,000 home in San Antonio and you’re looking at $8,500 to $12,000. In Austin at $450,000, expect $11,000 to $16,000. Keller typically falls in between. Request a loan estimate from your lender within three days of application. That document itemizes every fee, so you can compare it line by line against these benchmarks.
How Much Do San Antonio Buyers Pay to Close?
San Antonio buyers typically pay between $7,000 and $17,500 in closing costs on a median-priced home around $290,000. That lands near 2.5% to 3.5% of the purchase price for most transactions in Bexar County. The exact number depends on your lender, your loan type, and whether you negotiate seller concessions into the contract.
Bexar County property taxes run about 1.8% to 2.2% of assessed value, and your lender will collect several months of prepaid taxes at closing. Title insurance in Texas is state-regulated, so the premium schedule is the same whether you close in Alamo Heights or on the far West Side. What shifts your total is how much the lender charges in origination and discount points, plus whether you’re setting up an escrow account for insurance.
| Cost Category | Typical Range (San Antonio) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Loan origination fee | $1,500–$3,500 | 0.5%–1% of loan amount |
| Appraisal | $400–$600 | Paid before closing in most cases |
| Title insurance (owner’s policy) | $1,800–$2,400 | State-regulated rate schedule |
| Escrow/title company fees | $500–$900 | Settlement and document prep |
| Prepaid property taxes | $2,000–$4,500 | 2–4 months collected at closing |
| Prepaid homeowners insurance | $1,200–$2,800 | First year premium plus escrow pad |
| Recording fees | $75–$150 | Bexar County Clerk filing |
| Survey | $400–$600 | Required unless seller provides existing survey |
On a $290,000 purchase with 5% down, a buyer financing $275,500 through a conventional loan would see total closing costs near $9,500 to $12,000 before any seller contributions. Sellers in San Antonio frequently cover $3,000 to $6,000 in buyer costs to keep deals together, especially when inventory sits above 3 months of supply. Ask your agent to write concessions into the offer rather than lowering the purchase price, since that structure keeps your appraised value intact.
Closing Costs on a $400,000 Texas Home
A $400,000 purchase in Texas generates closing costs between $8,000 and $20,000, depending on your lender, county tax rate, and how your escrow account is structured. That range narrows once you pin down location. Travis County buyers at this price point typically see $12,000 to $16,000 in total closing costs, while Bexar County buyers land closer to $10,000 to $14,000. Tarrant County, which includes Keller, falls between the two.
The major line items at $400,000 cluster into lender charges, title and escrow fees, and prepaid items. Title insurance is state-regulated in Texas, so the premium stays consistent regardless of which city you buy in. The biggest variable is property tax prepayment, which swings based on your closing date and your county’s effective tax rate. Lender fees also vary by product, but most conventional and VA loans fall within a predictable band at this purchase price. These figures reflect typical 2026 rates across San Antonio, Austin, and the Keller area.
- Loan origination (0.5% to 1%): $2,000 to $4,000
- Title insurance (owner’s policy, state-regulated rate): approximately $2,200
- Appraisal fee: $450 to $650 for a single-family home in metro Texas
- Property tax prepayment: $2,400 to $5,400 depending on county rate and closing month
- Homeowner’s insurance prepayment (first year): $1,800 to $3,200
- Escrow deposit (2 to 3 months of taxes and insurance): $1,500 to $3,500
If you close in January on a $400,000 home in Keller, your property tax prepayment covers most of the year at Tarrant County’s roughly 2.1% rate, adding around $7,700 to your closing check. Close in November and that prepayment drops to about $1,400. Timing your closing date is one of the simplest ways to reduce your out-of-pocket total at the table.
Are Austin Closing Costs Higher Than Average?
Austin closing costs run higher than the Texas average in raw dollars, but the percentage stays in the same 2% to 5% range you see statewide. The difference comes down to purchase price. Austin’s median sale price sits near $550,000, which pushes the dollar amount well above what buyers pay in San Antonio or Keller on percentage-equivalent deals.
Several line items scale directly with purchase price: title insurance premiums, loan origination fees (typically 0.5% to 1% of the loan amount), and prepaid property taxes. Travis County’s property tax rate of roughly 1.82% means your escrow prefunding alone adds more per dollar than Bexar County’s 1.67% rate. Lender fees and third-party charges like appraisals and surveys stay relatively flat regardless of city, so those don’t move the needle much between markets.
| Market | Median Home Price | Estimated Closing Costs (3%) | Property Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin (Travis County) | $550,000 | $16,500 | 1.82% |
| San Antonio (Bexar County) | $290,000 | $8,700 | 1.67% |
| Keller (Tarrant County) | $475,000 | $14,250 | 1.81% |
| Texas Statewide Average | $340,000 | $10,200 | 1.74% |
If you’re buying at Austin’s median, budget $11,000 to $27,500 for closing costs. One way to offset the gap: negotiate a seller contribution. In a market where Austin inventory has loosened compared to 2021 and 2022, sellers are more willing to cover 1% to 3% of closing costs to keep a deal moving. Your lender can also roll some fees into the loan rate through a lender credit, though that raises your monthly payment slightly over the life of the mortgage.
What Does a $300,000 Purchase Cost to Close?
A $300,000 home in Texas typically costs between $6,000 and $15,000 to close. The exact number depends on your lender’s origination fee, the county you’re buying in, and whether you negotiate seller concessions. Most buyers at this price point land closer to $8,000 to $10,000 when financing with a conventional 30-year fixed mortgage.
The line items you saw in earlier sections scale predictably at this price point, but a few costs stay flat regardless of purchase price. Title search fees, survey costs, and recording fees don’t change much whether you’re buying at $250,000 or $400,000. That means your closing costs as a percentage of the purchase price actually run slightly higher on a $300,000 home than on a $400,000 one.
- Loan origination fee (1%): $3,000, though some lenders charge a flat $1,500 to $2,000 instead
- Title insurance (owner’s policy): roughly $1,725 in Texas, set by the state rate schedule
- Appraisal fee: $400 to $600 depending on property type and county
- Prepaid property taxes: two to four months escrowed upfront, typically $1,200 to $2,400 in Bexar or Travis County
- Homeowner’s insurance premium: first year paid at closing, averaging $2,100 to $2,800 statewide
- Recording and county fees: $100 to $250 depending on the county clerk’s schedule
If you’re buying at $300,000 in San Antonio, your prepaid tax escrow will be lower than in Austin or Keller because Bexar County’s effective tax rate sits below Tarrant and Travis counties. That single line item can shift your total by $500 to $1,000. Ask your lender for a loan estimate early so you can compare these costs across the specific neighborhoods you’re considering.
The Bottom Line
Texas closing costs fall between 2% and 5% of your purchase price whether you buy in San Antonio, Austin, or Keller. The percentage holds steady across markets, but the dollar amount shifts with local home prices. San Antonio buyers closing on a $290,000 home land between $7,000 and $17,500. Austin buyers pay more in raw dollars because median prices run higher, not because the fee structure is fundamentally different. A $400,000 purchase anywhere in the state generates $8,000 to $20,000 at the table.
What matters most is pinning down the variables that push you toward the high or low end of that range: your lender’s origination fees, your county’s property tax rate, and how your escrow account gets structured. Those three factors do more to set your final number than which city you choose.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are closing costs on a $300,000 house in Texas?
Texas buyer closing costs run 2% to 3% of the purchase price. On a $300,000 home, that’s $6,000 to $9,000. The breakdown: lender origination ($1,000 to $2,000), title insurance and escrow ($2,000 to $3,000), appraisal ($400 to $600), survey ($400 to $500), recording fees ($50 to $200), and prepaid property taxes plus insurance ($1,500 to $3,000). Prepaids shift based on your closing date and county tax rate. Bexar County (San Antonio), Travis County (Austin), and Tarrant County (Keller) each set different rates, so the exact total depends on location.
How does the closing cost process work step by step?
After your offer is accepted, the title company opens escrow and orders a title search. Your lender sends a Loan Estimate within three business days of application, listing every fee. Before closing, you receive a Closing Disclosure at least three business days out with final numbers. At the closing table, you wire funds or bring a cashier’s check. In Texas, closings happen at the title company’s office. San Antonio, Austin, and Keller follow the same timeline, though title fees and county recording charges differ slightly by location.
What are common closing cost mistakes Texas buyers make?
Not comparing Loan Estimates across multiple lenders is the biggest one. Origination fees, discount points, and third-party charges vary significantly on the same loan amount. Second, buyers skip shopping for title endorsement and escrow fees (Texas sets base title insurance rates by state regulation, but ancillary charges differ). Third, forgetting to budget for prepaids like property taxes and insurance, which add $2,000 to $4,000 depending on the county. Finally, waiving the survey to save $400 to $500 creates boundary dispute risk later. Always get the survey.
Who qualifies for closing cost assistance in San Antonio, Austin, or Keller?
San Antonio’s HIP 120 program offers up to $15,000 toward down payment and closing costs for buyers below 120% of area median income. Austin’s Down Payment Assistance program provides up to $40,000 as a forgivable loan for qualifying buyers. Keller falls in Tarrant County, where the Tarrant County Housing Assistance Office and statewide programs like TSAHC and TDHCA offer grants and low-interest second liens. Veterans can use VA Loans with zero down and negotiate seller-paid closing costs up to 4% of the purchase price. Income limits and first-time buyer requirements apply to most programs.
When should you start budgeting for closing costs?
Start at least 60 to 90 days before you plan to make an offer. You need 2% to 3% of your target price set aside beyond any down payment. Get preapproved early, because the Loan Estimate shows projected closing costs specific to your loan type and lender. If you’re buying in Austin’s competitive market, having funds verified upfront strengthens your offer. San Antonio and Keller typically carry more inventory and less bidding pressure, but locking your budget early still prevents surprises at the closing table.
Can you negotiate closing costs with the seller in Texas?
Yes. Texas allows sellers to contribute toward buyer closing costs, subject to loan program limits. Conventional loans cap seller contributions at 3% to 9% depending on down payment size. FHA allows up to 6%. VA Loans allow up to 4% in seller concessions. Your negotiating power depends on local conditions. Austin’s tighter inventory makes concessions harder to secure. San Antonio and Keller tend to be more balanced markets where sellers more readily cover $5,000 to $10,000 in buyer costs. Your agent should write the concession request into the purchase contract upfront.
Are closing costs different in Keller compared to San Antonio or Austin?
Core lender fees stay roughly the same regardless of city. The differences come from county-specific charges and property tax rates. Keller sits in Tarrant County with combined tax rates around 2.1% to 2.3%. San Antonio (Bexar County) averages 1.9% to 2.2%, and Austin (Travis County) runs 1.7% to 2.0%. Higher tax rates mean higher prepaid escrow at closing. Title company fees also vary by a few hundred dollars between markets. On an equivalent-priced home, Keller’s closing costs tend to run slightly higher than Austin or San Antonio because of the tax rate gap.
