Closing Costs in California — What You'll Actually Pay (2026)

"Closing costs" sounds like one fee. It's actually 15-20 separate ones. Here's exactly what hits your wallet at close on a $700k loan in California, line by line.

Section A — Origination charges (lender fees)

• Underwriting fee — $995
• Lender credit / discount points — varies (negative = you pay for a lower rate)
• Typical total: $0-$1,000 depending on structure

Section B — Services you cannot shop for

• Appraisal — $650
• Appraisal management — $250
• Credit report — $35
• Tax service — $109
• Flood determination — $9
• MERS fee — $25
• Typical total: ~$1,000

Section C — Services you CAN shop for

• Lender's title insurance — $0.73/$1k loan = $511 on $700k
• Settlement / escrow fee — $475
• Notary — $125
• Typical total: ~$1,100 (you can shop these — savings of $200-$500 possible)

Section E — Government fees

• Recording (mortgage) — $311
• Recording (deed) — $95 (purchase only)
• County transfer tax — $1.10/$1k = $770 on $700k (purchase only)
• Typical total: $400-$1,200 depending on purchase vs refi

Section F — Prepaids

• Prepaid interest (15 days) — ~$1,800 on $700k @ 6.5%
• Homeowner's insurance (12 months upfront) — ~$1,800
• Property taxes (2-month buffer) — ~$1,500 on average CA tax bill
• Typical total: ~$5,000

Section G — Initial escrow / impounds

• Tax reserve (3 months) — ~$2,200
• Insurance reserve (2 months) — ~$300
• Typical total: ~$2,500

Section H — Other (purchase only)

• Owner's title insurance — $1,295 (paid by seller in most CA counties, ask your agent)
• HOA transfer / proration — $200-$500

The bottom line

On a $700k California purchase, expect roughly $15,000-$22,000 out of pocket at close, depending on closing date timing (prepaid interest swings ±$1,500) and county-specific items.

On a $700k refinance, more like $8,000-$14,000 — no transfer tax, no owner's title, lower escrow setup.

What you can actually negotiate

• Section C (title, settlement, notary) — comparison shop, can save 10-25%
• Section A lender fees — sometimes waivable on relationship pricing
• Rate vs lender credit — fundamentally a tradeoff; ask for BOTH options

Want a full closing-cost estimate on YOUR loan? Get a free quote — comes with a line-item LE within 24 hours.