Kennesaw Buyer Closing Costs: What You'll Pay in 2026
How much are buyer closing costs in Kennesaw, GA? In Kennesaw and Cobb County, buyers typically pay 2%–5% of the purchase price in closing costs. On the area's current median home price of around $414,000, that's roughly $8,300–$20,700 out of pocket — in addition to your down payment. The exact amount depends on your loan type, lender, and which fees are negotiated with the seller.
- Buyer closing costs in Kennesaw and Cobb County typically run 2%–5% of the purchase price — about $8,300–$20,700 on a $414,000 home.
- Georgia requires an attorney to handle all real estate closings; attorney fees typically run $500–$1,500.
- The Georgia intangible recording tax — $1.50 per $500 of your loan amount — is a buyer-paid cost at closing, roughly $1,180 on a $393,300 loan.
- Prepaid items (homeowners insurance, prorated property taxes, prepaid interest) often add $2,000–$5,000 on top of hard closing costs.
- Some fees are negotiable — a seller concession or lender credit can meaningfully reduce your out-of-pocket at closing.
Buying in Kennesaw: What Closing Costs Actually Look Like
If you're under contract on a home in Kennesaw, Marietta, or anywhere in Cobb County, your lender will issue a Loan Estimate within three business days of your application. That document breaks down your projected closing costs — but if you're seeing numbers that don't make sense, or you're trying to plan before you even make an offer, here's what each line item means and what you can expect to pay.
On a $414,000 home in Kennesaw with a conventional 5% down loan ($393,300 loan amount), expect total closing costs plus prepaids in the range of $10,000–$16,000 depending on your lender, your first payment date, and your insurance premium.
The Two Categories of Closing Costs: Hard Costs vs. Prepaids
One thing that trips up a lot of buyers: closing costs come in two buckets.
Hard closing costs are one-time fees paid to your lender, the closing attorney, and third-party service providers. Prepaid items are recurring expenses you're paying upfront — homeowners insurance, property taxes, and prepaid mortgage interest. Both show up on your Closing Disclosure and add to your cash-to-close number.
Hard Closing Costs — What You're Paying For
Lender fees are often the biggest variable in your closing costs. These typically include:
- Origination fee: 0.5%–1% of the loan amount. On a $393,300 loan, that's $1,967–$3,933.
- Underwriting fee: $500–$1,000, sometimes rolled into origination.
- Processing fee: $300–$800.
Shopping multiple lenders before going under contract can save you thousands here.
Appraisal: $450–$1,000 in the Cobb County market. Usually paid upfront before closing.
Home inspection: $300–$600 for a standard home inspection. Termite inspection runs $50–$200 and is almost always required by Georgia lenders.
Closing attorney fee: Georgia is an attorney-closing state — a licensed real estate attorney must oversee every closing. Attorney fees typically run $500–$1,500 as a flat fee.
Title insurance:
- Lender's title insurance is required when you're financing. Typically $300–$600 on a Cobb County purchase.
- Owner's title insurance is optional but strongly recommended. On a $414,000 purchase, this usually runs $600–$1,000 and protects you — not just your lender — if a title defect surfaces after closing.
Georgia intangible recording tax: This one surprises a lot of buyers. Georgia charges $1.50 per $500 of your loan amount — roughly 0.30% — on mortgage loans of 62 months or longer. That covers virtually every conventional, FHA, and VA mortgage. On a $393,300 loan, that's approximately $1,180 paid at closing.
Recording fees: Cobb County charges $14 plus $3 per page to record the deed and security deed in the county property records. Typically $100–$200 total.
Survey: If a survey is required or requested, budget $300–$700.
| Hard Cost Item | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Lender origination fee | $1,967–$3,933 (0.5%–1% of loan) |
| Underwriting / processing fees | $800–$1,800 |
| Appraisal | $450–$1,000 |
| Home inspection | $300–$600 |
| Termite inspection | $50–$200 |
| Closing attorney fee | $500–$1,500 |
| Lender's title insurance | $300–$600 |
| Owner's title insurance | $600–$1,000 |
| Georgia intangible recording tax | ~$1,180 on $393K loan |
| Recording fees | $100–$200 |
| Survey (if required) | $300–$700 |
Prepaid Items: The Costs Most Buyers Underestimate
Prepaids aren't fees — they're expenses you're paying upfront that would otherwise come due later. But they still come out of your pocket at closing and can add $2,000–$5,000 to your cash-to-close number.
Homeowners insurance: Lenders require you to prepay the first year's premium at closing. In Cobb County, homeowners insurance for a $400,000 home runs $1,500–$2,500 annually depending on the home's age, construction, and coverage selections. For a detailed look at what's driving insurance costs in this area, see Kennesaw property taxes and insurance costs in 2026.
Prepaid mortgage interest: You'll pay interest from your closing date through the end of the month. Close on June 19 with a $393,300 loan at 6.75%, and you're paying about $68/day — roughly $680 at closing for the remaining days of June.
Property tax escrow: Your lender will typically collect 2–3 months of property taxes upfront to seed your escrow account. Cobb County property taxes on a $414,000 home run roughly $3,500–$4,500 annually depending on homestead exemptions, so expect $585–$1,125 for the initial escrow deposit.
| Prepaid Item | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Homeowners insurance (1 year prepaid) | $1,500–$2,500 |
| Prepaid mortgage interest (varies by closing date) | $300–$1,400 |
| Property tax escrow (2–3 months) | $585–$1,125 |
Can the Seller Pay Your Closing Costs?
Yes — and in the current Kennesaw and Marietta market, seller concessions are on the table more often than they were two or three years ago.
Under the GAR contract, a buyer can ask the seller to contribute toward closing costs as part of the purchase offer. Conventional loans cap seller contributions at 3%–9% of the purchase price depending on your down payment; FHA caps at 6%; VA allows up to 4% for concessions plus unlimited contributions toward loan-related fees.
A seller concession doesn't reduce the purchase price — it reduces the cash you need at closing. On a $414,000 purchase, a 2% seller concession ($8,280) can cover a significant portion of your closing costs.
Whether a concession request gets accepted depends on the seller's situation, the strength of your offer, and how competitive the market is. Understanding Georgia's due diligence period and how to structure your offer can give you more negotiating room on this front.
Lender Credits: The Other Way to Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs
Some buyers take a slightly higher interest rate in exchange for a lender credit that offsets closing costs. This trade-off makes sense if you're short on cash or planning to move again within 5–7 years. Over the long term, a higher rate costs more — so it's worth modeling both scenarios before deciding.
Your Loan Estimate will show whether your rate includes any origination points or credits. Ask your lender to show you the comparison.
Kennesaw vs. Marietta: How Closing Costs Compare
Closing costs in Kennesaw and Marietta are driven by the same Georgia laws and county recording fees — so the structure is identical. The primary difference is home price. Marietta's median home price trends higher in certain zip codes, which means higher loan amounts, higher intangible tax, and higher lender fees. The seller-side cost breakdown for Marietta is covered in detail in Marietta seller closing costs in 2026 — worth reviewing if you're buying from a seller who's working through that math.
For buyers considering Acworth or West Cobb, the closing cost structure is the same. Price differences by community are the primary variable. Explore all West Cobb communities at masoudpour.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Plan for 2%–5% of your purchase price in total closing costs, including prepaids. On a $414,000 home — close to the current median in Kennesaw — that's $8,300–$20,700. Most buyers in this price range land in the $10,000–$15,000 range when all costs and prepaids are combined. Your lender is required to give you a Loan Estimate within three business days of your application, which will itemize every expected cost.
Georgia's real estate transfer tax is paid by the seller, not the buyer. However, buyers do pay the Georgia intangible recording tax on their mortgage — $1.50 per $500 of the loan amount, or roughly 0.30%. On a $393,300 loan, that's approximately $1,180. For more on buying locally, visit masoudpour.com to explore community-specific resources.
In most cases, you cannot roll closing costs directly into a conventional purchase loan — you need the cash at closing. However, you can ask the seller for a concession, accept a lender credit in exchange for a slightly higher rate, or negotiate a higher purchase price with seller credit back. Each approach has trade-offs. If you're weighing new construction — where builder closing cost contributions are common — see new construction vs. resale in Kennesaw and Acworth for a full comparison.
Yes. Georgia law requires a licensed real estate attorney to conduct the closing. The attorney represents the lender, not you — so while you're welcome to hire your own counsel for review, the closing attorney fee of $500–$1,500 covers the settlement process itself. This is different from how closings work in most other states.
Several line items are shoppable. You can select your own title insurance provider, home inspector, and survey company — you're not required to use the lender's preferred vendors. Lender fees vary significantly between lenders, and seller concessions are negotiable as part of your offer. What isn't negotiable: recording fees, intangible recording tax, and attorney fees are largely set by Georgia law. Explore buying resources for Marietta and surrounding communities to see what's typical in your target area.
Closing costs in Kennesaw, Marietta, and Cobb County are real money — often $10,000–$16,000 on a median-priced purchase when prepaids are included. The buyers who navigate them most effectively get Loan Estimates from multiple lenders early, understand what's negotiable, and go into contract knowing exactly what to ask for.
Whether you're buying in Kennesaw or anywhere else in Cobb County, I'll walk you through what your specific closing costs will look like before you make an offer — not after. Schedule a 15-minute consultation and let's run the real numbers for your situation.
