Cash-to-Close Calculator

The number on the settlement statement is bigger than your down payment. Cash-to-close = down payment + lender fees + third-party fees + prepaid items + initial escrow.

Home price ($)Down payment (%)Annual property tax ($)Annual insurance ($)

Include attorney fee ($800 — attorney-state markets)

Down payment$80,000

Origination (1%)$3,200

Underwriting$400

Appraisal$500

Credit report$50

Title search$200

Title insurance$2,000

Attorney (if applicable)$800

Recording$150

Inspection$450

Prepaid tax (2 mo)$733

Prepaid insurance (2 mo)$240

Initial escrow — tax (2 mo)$733

Initial escrow — insurance (2 mo)$240

Total cash-to-close$89,697

Estimate only — your Closing Disclosure (delivered 3 days before closing) is the authoritative number. All math runs in your browser.

The 5 Buckets of Cash-to-Close

• Down payment — the equity you bring; 3-20% depending on loan type.
• Lender fees — origination (typically 0.5-1% of the loan), points if you buy the rate down, underwriting.
• Third-party fees — appraisal ($400-700), credit report ($50), title search + insurance (0.3-0.6% of price), attorney ($500-1,000 in some states), recording ($150-400), inspection ($300-600).
• Prepaids — property tax and homeowners insurance paid in advance, prorated to the lender's required cushion (typically 2-6 months).
• Initial escrow — the opening balance of your escrow account, usually 2-3 months of tax + insurance.

Methodology & Assumptions

How this calculator works, what it assumes, and where it falls short. Every calculator on TruePITI documents its math.

Formula

Cash-to-close = down payment + origination (1% of loan) + fixed third-party fees + prepaids (2 months tax + 2 months insurance) + initial escrow (2 months tax + 2 months insurance).

Assumptions

Origination 1% of the loan amount; points are not modeled.
Title insurance 0.5% of home price — varies by state and policy type.
Prepaids and escrow assume 2 months of annual tax and insurance.
Attorney fee only in attorney-state markets.

Limitations

Actual fees vary by lender, state, and county — this is an estimate, not a quote.
Seller-paid closing costs, lender credits, and rate-buydown points are not modeled.
The Closing Disclosure (3 days before closing) is the authoritative number.

Worked Example

$400,000 home, 20% down ($80,000): loan $320,000 → origination $3,200 + appraisal $500 + credit $50 + title search $200 + title insurance $2,000 + attorney $800 + recording $150 + inspection $450 + prepaids/escrow ≈ $3,900 → total ≈ $91,250.

Sources

CFPB Closing Disclosure explainer
Standard settlement practices (ALTA)

Cash-to-Close FAQ

How much cash do I really need at closing?

Plan on down payment + 2-5% of the home price in fees and prepaids. On a $400,000 home with 20% down, that is $80,000 + $8,000-20,000 = $88,000-100,000 total. The biggest surprises are prepaids and escrow funding.

What is the difference between closing costs and cash-to-close?

Closing costs are the fees (origination, appraisal, title, recording). Cash-to-close is the full wire amount: closing costs + down payment + prepaids + escrow. Cash-to-close is always bigger — sometimes 2-3x.

Can I roll closing costs into the loan?

Sometimes. FHA allows financing the upfront MIP (1.75%) into the loan. Lender credits can offset costs in exchange for a higher rate. But most third-party fees must be paid out of pocket. VA loans limit what you pay at closing.

Last updated: 2026-09-16 | Estimates only — your Closing Disclosure is the authoritative number.