closing costs too high?

[Jessica H.]

We are about to close on our first place and our realtor with keller williams is using their in house title company. The house cost 40k but our closing costs he said would be 5k, we are in eastern PA. My first thought was that sounded high. Can you bring your contracts to a title company of your choosing that does it for less? Or is it fairly standard whoever you go to.

[John Lee]

In california, mostly seller pays agent fee of about 5~6%, which covers both of listing agent (seller's) and selling agent (buyer's), 2.5~3% each. Buyer does not pay agent commission.

And closing cost is about 3% of the purchase price.