closing costs

Since mortgages are so hard to get, buyers are turning to their parents and other relatives to help with down payments and closing costs.

Although the current lending environment gives lenders a good amount of leverage when negotiating fees with brokers, many people have little idea what constitutes normal closing costs for their loans.

Even in a buyer's market, you could end up paying more than you expected for a new house. Let's look at two factors that could raise the cost of buying a home and how to avoid them.