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Estimating Closing Costs for Leland Grove Buyers

October 16, 2025

Buying in Leland Grove and trying to figure out how much cash you will need at closing? You are not alone. Closing costs can feel confusing, especially when some items are percentage based and others depend on local taxes and insurance. This guide breaks down each cost, shows a Leland Grove example, and gives you a simple checklist to pin down your number with confidence. Let’s dive in.

What closing costs cover in Leland Grove

Closing costs are the one-time expenses to finalize your purchase and your loan. In Leland Grove, you can expect:

  • Lender fees such as origination or underwriting, appraisal, credit report, and optional discount points.
  • Title search and title insurance to confirm clear ownership and protect you and your lender.
  • Government charges that include transfer tax stamps and recording fees with Sangamon County.
  • Prepaids and prorations for property taxes, homeowners insurance, and prepaid interest.
  • Escrow reserves your lender may collect for taxes and insurance.
  • Other items like inspection, survey, attorney or closing agent fees, and HOA transfer fees if applicable.

Who pays which line item can vary by contract. Illinois custom often has the seller cover certain items, but your purchase agreement controls the final split.

Local price and taxes shape your estimate

Many closing costs scale with price and local tax or insurance levels. A recent Leland Grove median home value is about $318,882, which is a useful reference point when estimating percentage-based fees. Property taxes are also a key driver. Local data sources show homeowners often pay several thousand dollars per year in property taxes, with a representative example around $5,813 annually, which affects both prorations and escrow deposits at closing. Use the specific parcel’s tax bill for accurate math. You can review general local tax context from resources like BestPlaces’ Leland Grove overview.

Line items to expect

Government taxes and recording

  • Illinois state transfer tax is $0.50 per $500 of the sale price. See the statutory rate in the Illinois statutes.
  • Sangamon County transfer stamp commonly adds $0.25 per $500. The Recorder’s office collects stamps when the deed is recorded and requires the PTAX transfer declaration on most sales. Check the county’s Recorder fee and stamp guidance for details.
  • Recording fees are set by the county. Sangamon lists standard document fees on its fee schedule. Confirm current amounts with the Recorder’s fee schedule.

Who usually pays the transfer stamps can vary by custom and contract. In many Illinois transactions, sellers pay these stamps, but confirm the allocation in your agreement.

Title search and title insurance

You will see two distinct policies:

  • Lender’s title policy protects the lender and is typically a buyer expense.
  • Owner’s title policy protects your equity. In Illinois, the seller often pays for the buyer’s owner’s policy, but this is negotiable and can differ by area.

Title premiums are one-time charges that scale with price. Industry reporting places typical title premiums in the range of about 0.5% to 1.0% of the purchase price, and they are often among the larger single line items. Learn more about why title costs vary from this Washington Post overview of title insurance pricing.

Lender fees and loan timing

Common lender charges include origination or underwriting, appraisal, credit report, flood certification, and optional points. Your lender must provide a Loan Estimate within 3 business days of your application and a Closing Disclosure at least 3 business days before closing, so you can review final cash to close. See a clear explanation of the Closing Disclosure in Bankrate’s guide.

Prepaids and prorations

  • Property tax proration splits the current tax period between buyer and seller based on the closing date. Use the actual parcel tax bill and the county’s guidance on PTAX forms, which you can find in the Sangamon Recorder FAQ.
  • Homeowners insurance usually requires the first year’s premium paid or in place at closing, and many loans require an escrow account. Illinois averages are in the low thousands per year, which you can compare using NerdWallet’s Illinois homeowners insurance overview.
  • Prepaid interest covers the daily interest from your closing date to your first mortgage payment.

Escrow reserves

If your lender requires an escrow account, they will collect initial deposits for taxes and insurance. Federal RESPA rules allow lenders to include up to a two-month cushion, and the required amount will appear on your Closing Disclosure. See a summary of RESPA escrow rules from ComplianceOnline.

Example estimate for a Leland Grove purchase

Here is a ballpark example using a $318,882 purchase price. Your loan type, contract terms, and insurance and tax amounts will change these numbers.

  • Typical buyer closing costs in Illinois often average about 2.1% of price. At $318,882, that is roughly $6,700 in lender and settlement fees. Source: Bankrate’s Illinois closing cost overview.
  • Title, transfer stamps, and recording:
    • State transfer stamp at $0.50 per $500 is about $319, and county stamp at $0.25 per $500 is about $160 on this price. Whether you pay these depends on your contract.
    • Title premiums vary. A combined owner and lender premium around $2,000 is a reasonable placeholder on this price point, but check a local title quote.
    • Recording fees are modest and county set. A placeholder of $100 for deed and mortgage recordings keeps the math simple.
  • Escrows and prepaids: If property taxes are near $5,813 per year, the monthly is about $484. A two-month tax reserve would be about $968. If your annual homeowners insurance premium is around $2,200, you may pay that at closing and deposit about two months, roughly $367, if required. Prepaid interest depends on your closing date.

Putting it together for illustration only:

  • Closing fees at 2.1%: about $6,700
  • Title, stamps, and recording: about $2,580 total
  • Escrows and prepaids: about $1,500
  • Estimated buyer cash to close for costs and reserves, excluding down payment: ≈ $10,780

Your lender’s Closing Disclosure and the title company’s settlement statement are the final word on cash to close.

How to get your exact number

Use this quick checklist to replace estimates with actual figures:

  • Request your Loan Estimate within 3 business days of application, then review your Closing Disclosure at least 3 business days before signing. See the timing and details in Bankrate’s guide to the Closing Disclosure.
  • Ask whether the seller will pay for the owner’s title policy. Confirm who pays which title policies in your purchase contract.
  • Get a written title quote and confirm county recording fees with the Sangamon Recorder fee schedule.
  • Pull the actual parcel tax bill for exact prorations and complete the PTAX transfer declaration as required. See the Sangamon Recorder FAQ.
  • Obtain a homeowners insurance quote and confirm whether your lender requires an escrow account and how many months of reserves they will collect. Review RESPA limits via ComplianceOnline.
  • Compare lenders and title providers. Small differences in origination fees, points, or title premiums can save you money over time.

Ways to keep costs manageable

  • Choose a closing date that limits prepaid interest within the month.
  • Ask for seller credits toward closing in your offer if market conditions allow.
  • Compare lender fees and rate options, including the cost and benefit of any points.
  • Confirm which title policy each side will pay to avoid surprises.

Work with a local guide

You should not have to guess at your cash to close. Our team helps you build a clear estimate early, then coordinates with your lender and title company so the final Closing Disclosure matches your expectations. If you are buying in Leland Grove or anywhere in Sangamon County, reach out to Cindy Grady II, Inc. for local guidance and step-by-step support.

FAQs

What are typical buyer closing costs in Leland Grove?

Who pays Illinois and Sangamon County transfer stamps?

  • By custom, sellers often pay transfer stamps, but the contract controls. Stamps are collected at recording, and PTAX forms are required on most sales. See the county’s fee and stamp guidance.

How are Sangamon County property taxes handled at closing?

  • Taxes are prorated based on the closing date using the parcel’s actual tax bill, with the PTAX transfer declaration filed at recording. See the Sangamon Recorder FAQ.

What will title insurance cost me as a buyer?

  • Title premiums scale with price and local rate schedules. Industry reporting places typical premiums around 0.5% to 1.0% of price, and in Illinois the seller often covers the owner’s policy by custom. Learn more in this Washington Post explainer.

When will I know my final cash to close?

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