Condo Closing Costs in Los Angeles: What Buyers & Sellers Pay
Closing costs are the fees, taxes, and prorations that get paid when a sale closes — on top of the price and your down payment. They’re split between buyer and seller by custom and negotiation. Here’s what to expect on a Los Angeles condo.
What buyers typically pay
As a rough guide, buyer closing costs often land around 2%–5% of the purchase price, driven mostly by your loan. The main items:
- Loan costs — origination or points, underwriting, credit report, and prepaid mortgage interest.
- Appraisal & inspections — the lender’s appraisal plus any home inspection you order.
- Escrow & title — your share of the escrow fee and a lender’s title insurance policy.
- Prepaids & prorations — property taxes and HOA dues prorated to the closing date, plus setting up your insurance and impound account.
- HOA charges — many LA buildings charge a move-in fee, transfer fee, or a document/set-up fee.
- Recording fees — to record the deed and loan with the county.
What sellers typically pay
Sellers usually carry the larger closing costs, led by the real estate commission. Common seller items:
- Real estate commission — the biggest line, negotiated in the listing agreement.
- Transfer taxes — the City and County documentary transfer tax, and on higher-value sales, Measure ULA (below).
- Escrow & title — the seller’s share of escrow and the owner’s title insurance policy (customary in LA County).
- HOA document fees — the association’s charge to produce the resale/disclosure package.
- Prorations — property taxes and HOA dues owed through the closing date, and any unpaid assessments.
Los Angeles transfer taxes & Measure ULA
Los Angeles charges a City documentary transfer tax — a base rate of $2.25 per $500 of value (0.45%) — plus the standard County documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 (0.11%). On top of that, the City’s Measure ULA (the “mansion tax”) adds a tiered tax on higher-value sales, generally paid by the seller:
- Under the lower threshold (about $5.4 million for sales closing in the 2026 period): no ULA — just the base transfer taxes.
- From roughly $5.4M up to about $10.9M: an added 4%.
- Above roughly $10.9M: an added 5.5%.
What this means for most condo sales: the vast majority of LA condos sell well under the ULA threshold, so Measure ULA doesn’t apply — you’re looking at the base transfer taxes only. ULA mainly affects luxury and high-value transactions. Important: these thresholds adjust every year with inflation, so confirm the current figures with your escrow officer before relying on them.
How to plan — and trim — your costs
Ask your lender for a Loan Estimate early; it itemizes your buyer costs up front. Escrow and title fees can sometimes be shopped, and who pays which fee is partly customary and partly negotiable — in a softer market, buyers can ask sellers for a credit toward closing costs. On the sell side, the commission and any pre-sale prep are where the real numbers are, so price and strategy matter more than the fee line items.
This guide is general information about buying, selling, and owning condominiums in Los Angeles and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules, rates, and tax thresholds change — confirm current figures with your lender, escrow officer, CPA, or attorney, and with a Condos of LA advisor, before making decisions.
Frequently asked questions
Will Measure ULA apply to my condo sale?
Almost certainly not, unless it’s a luxury sale. Measure ULA only kicks in above a multi-million-dollar threshold (about $5.4 million for the 2026 period), and it steps up again above roughly $10.9 million. The great majority of LA condos sell below that, so only the base City and County transfer taxes apply. The thresholds adjust yearly, so verify the current numbers.
Who pays escrow and title fees in LA?
It’s customary and negotiable. In Los Angeles County, the seller typically pays for the owner’s title policy, the buyer pays for the lender’s policy, and the escrow fee is often split — but any of this can be negotiated in the contract.
How much should a buyer budget for closing costs?
A common rule of thumb is 2%–5% of the purchase price, most of it tied to your loan. Cash buyers pay far less (mainly escrow, title, and HOA/recording fees). Your lender’s Loan Estimate will give you a precise figure.
Are HOA dues part of closing costs?
Your ongoing dues aren’t, but at closing you’ll prorate the current month’s dues to the closing date and often pay HOA transfer, move-in, or document fees. Any unpaid assessments are settled through escrow.
Want a net-proceeds or cost estimate?
A Condos of LA advisor can prepare a buyer cost sheet or a seller net-proceeds estimate for your specific building and price point.
Talk to an advisor