Which States Have the Highest and Lowest Closing Costs?

After would-be buyers scrounge up a down payment, secure financing, and negotiate a winning offer, many are left with sticker shock following the announcement of closing costs—a not-so-tiny detail amongst real estate trends of ever-climbing costs in property purchases.

All things being equal, closing costs are not

Overall, closing costs tend to run between 3 percent and 6 percent of purchase price. However, given the cost of home appraisals, credit reports, attorney and numerous other fees, not to mention highly-variable title and homeowner's insurance, buyers can find hundreds of dollars in difference between lenders. So, regardless of state, it pays to shop around.

What states stick-it to home buyers the most?

Given a $200,000 home, a 20 percent down payment and excellent credit, let's take a look at real estate trends involving closing cost quotes from these top five notoriously expensive states:

• Hawaii - The highest average closing costs in the nation at $2,655. (Which, in reality, is infinitely more painful, as the island-state's median listing price is in the $510,000 range.)
• New York - An average $2,560 in closing costs. (Average median home price $720,000 – yowsa!)
• North Carolina - Averaging $2,409 in closing costs. (Average median home price $144,600. Whew.)
• Delaware - Averaging $ 2,358 in closing costs. (Average median home price, $211,700. Not too shabby.)
• South Carolina - Averaging $2,322 in closing costs. (Average median home price, $139,500. A bargain!)