How Much Are Closing Costs for Buyers in Bucks County?
Bucks Co. & Beyond Daily
Bucks Co. & Beyond Daily
by Nick Rau
Most buyers save for months for the down payment, then meet the second number at the settlement table. On a $515,000 home, the Bucks County median, three lines set by the state and the county can come to about $8,800 for a buyer who pays them: $5,150 for your customary half of the 2% realty transfer tax, $3,498.40 for standard title insurance plus a closing protection letter, and $165.50 in base recording fees for your deed and mortgage. Your lender's fees, prepaid interest, homeowners insurance and escrow deposits come on top of that, and your Loan Estimate shows each of them within three business days of applying.
That's the whole idea behind knowing your cash-to-close before you fall in love with a house. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau describes your estimated cash to close as your down payment plus closing costs, minus any deposit you've already paid and any credits, which means the closing-cost side is the part you can actually plan and negotiate. Here's the line-by-line math at the Bucks median, the lines your lender fills in, and three ways buyers here shrink the total.
I'm using $515,000 because it was the median sold price in Bucks County in September 2026, according to the Bucks County Association of Realtors' Local Market Insight report (Bright MLS data, calculated Oct. 8, 2026), the newest monthly report out. These are the lines you can figure today from official rate sheets:
Who pays title insurance and recording fees isn't set by law, so your agreement of sale decides.
That's $8,813.90 before a single lender fee. If you choose the enhanced ALTA Homeowner's Policy, the manual adds 10% plus a flat $400 for the pair, which would bring the title line to $4,110.74, and lender-required endorsements can add a little more. The Rating Bureau has also approved a revised rate manual that takes effect Nov. 1, 2026, so ask your title company to quote from the version in effect on your settlement date.
Everything else depends on your loan and your house, which is why I won't guess at it. Origination charges, the appraisal and the credit report sit in sections A and B of the Loan Estimate, and they vary from lender to lender, and the CFPB says the best way to tell whether an offer is competitive is to compare it with Loan Estimates from other lenders. Prepaid interest, your first year of homeowners insurance and the starting deposit for your escrow account (the money the lender holds to pay your property taxes and insurance) show up in sections F and G. Property taxes are also prorated at settlement under your agreement of sale, and if you want to know what your bill looks like after you move in, I covered that in my post on whether property taxes go up when you buy in Bucks County. The good news is that the rules give you time: your lender must send the Loan Estimate within three business days of your application, and the Closing Disclosure has to reach you at least three business days before you close, so there's room to ask questions before anything is final.
1. Ask for seller credits. A seller can agree to pay part of your closing costs, and for conventional loans Fannie Mae's guidelines cap those financing concessions by your loan-to-value: 3% of the lower of the price or appraised value if you put down less than 10%, 6% between 10% and 25% down, and 9% at 25% down or more. On a $515,000 home that's room for up to $15,450 or $30,900, though anything over the cap gets treated as a price reduction, and a credit can never cover your down payment. FHA, VA and other loans have their own limits, so check with your lender. This fall gives buyers more room to ask, too: Bucks had 1,062 active listings in September, up from 880 a year earlier, according to the same BCAR report.
2. Pick your closing day. Prepaid interest covers the days between your closing and the period your first monthly payment covers, so a closing late in the month means fewer days to prepay. On a $412,000 loan (20% down on $515,000) at 7.32%, Freddie Mac's average 30-year rate for the week of Oct. 22, 2026, interest runs about $83 a day. Closing on the 3rd of a 30-day month means prepaying about 28 days, or roughly $2,314, while closing on the 28th means about three days, or roughly $248. It doesn't make the loan itself cheaper, but it can free up a couple of thousand dollars on the day you need cash most.
3. Check PHFA's help. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency's Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan covers down payment and closing costs with up to 4% of the price or $6,000, whichever is less, as a 0% loan repaid monthly over 10 years. It pairs with PHFA first mortgages, requires a 660 credit score and homebuyer education, and limits your liquid assets to $50,000 after closing. For PHFA's Keystone Home Loan, the Bucks County limits for reservations on or after July 1, 2026 are a $588,800 purchase price and income of $122,700 for one or two people or $141,100 for three or more, so a median-priced Bucks home fits under the cap. PHFA also offers K-FIT, a second loan of 5% of the price or appraised value (whichever is lower) that's forgiven 10% a year over 10 years.
Before I toured a single house, I'd get a Loan Estimate from at least two lenders and a title quote, then add my down payment to see my real cash-to-close at the price I'm targeting. When it's time to write an offer, that number tells you whether to ask for a seller credit and how much, and it keeps a great house from turning into a stressful one. The mistakes I'd steer clear of are budgeting just for the down payment, assuming the whole transfer tax is the seller's problem, forgetting that a closing date early in the month raises the cash you bring, and skipping PHFA because you assume you earn too much without checking the limits. Every number here can change with your loan, your township and your contract, so confirm your own figures with your lender, your title company and, for anything legal or tax-related, a real estate attorney or tax professional.
How much are closing costs for buyers in Bucks County?
On a $515,000 home, the Bucks County median, the state- and county-set pieces can come to about $8,800 for a buyer who pays them: $5,150 for the buyer's customary half of the 2% transfer tax, $3,498.40 for standard title insurance and a closing protection letter, and $165.50 in base recording fees. Lender fees, prepaid interest, insurance and escrow deposits are added on top and appear on your Loan Estimate. Your agreement of sale decides who pays title and recording.
Does the buyer pay transfer tax in Bucks County, PA?
Usually half. Bucks County's transfer tax is 2%, and the Recorder of Deeds notes that most sale agreements divide it between buyer and seller, so a buyer typically pays 1%, or $5,150 on a $515,000 home. Your agreement of sale decides the split.
Can the seller pay my closing costs in Pennsylvania?
Yes, through a seller credit written into your agreement of sale. For conventional loans, Fannie Mae caps it at 3%, 6% or 9% of the lower of the price or appraised value depending on your down payment, and it can't be used for the down payment itself.
Is there closing cost help for first-time buyers in Bucks County?
Yes. PHFA's Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan offers up to 4% of the price or $6,000, whichever is less, at 0% over 10 years for down payment and closing costs, when paired with a PHFA first mortgage and a 660 or higher credit score.
If you're starting your search in Levittown, my Levittown guide is a good place to begin, you can compare more towns in my Bucks County town guides, and my mortgage calculator lets you test a monthly payment.
Know your cash-to-close before you fall in love with a house, and the day you get the keys can be all about the keys. I'm Nick Rau, President of Sales with the Rarity Real Estate Team, ranked in the Top 1% of agents nationally (RealTrends 2025, individual), with more than 135 Google reviews, and I live right here in Bucks County.
Rarity Real Estate Team, 1100 N Delaware Ave Suite A, Philadelphia, PA 19125 · (215) 593-7498 · [email protected]
Buying in Levittown or anywhere in Bucks County and want your own cash-to-close worked out? Call (215) 593-7498 or email [email protected].
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File photo, not a specific home or sale. A bench under a shade tree on park land in the Cobalt Ridge section of Levittown. Photo (cropped): Lilypad.ua, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources (checked Oct. 24, 2026): Bucks County Recorder of Deeds, Transfer Tax (2%: 1% state, 1% municipality and school district; most sale agreements divide it); Bucks County Recorder of Deeds Fee Schedule, effective Jan. 1, 2026 (deed $82.75, mortgage $82.75, up to 4 pages, 4 names, 1 parcel; $4 per additional page); Title Insurance Rating Bureau of Pennsylvania Rate Manual, as amended through 08/01/24 (copy hosted by Stewart Title) (Section 5.50 sale rate; simultaneous issuance; Section 3.5 closing protection letter $125; Section 5.9 enhanced coverage, +10% and $400); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Loan Estimate explainer, What is a Closing Disclosure?, What is a Loan Estimate? and What are prepaid interest charges?; Fannie Mae Selling Guide B3-4.1-02, Interested Party Contributions; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (30-year fixed 7.32%, Oct. 22, 2026); PHFA Keystone Advantage Assistance Loan; PHFA Subordinate Loan Programs at a Glance, August 2026; PHFA Appendix A, Keystone Home Loan purchase price and income limits, effective for reservations on or after 7/1/2026; Bucks County Association of Realtors, Local Market Insight, September 2026 (median sold price $515,000; 1,062 active listings vs. 880 in Sept. 2025; Bright MLS, calculated Oct. 8, 2026)
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