Seller vs. Buyer Closing Costs in Central Ohio
In a Central Ohio home sale, sellers typically pay the conveyance fee, owner's title insurance, deed prep, and brokerage fees, while buyers cover loan costs, the lender's title policy, and prepaids. Most of these are negotiable in the purchase contract, only the rate itself is set by law.
Who pays closing costs in a Central Ohio home sale, the seller or the buyer?
In a Central Ohio home sale, the costs are split: sellers typically cover the real property conveyance fee, owner's title insurance, deed preparation, and brokerage fees, while buyers handle loan origination charges, the lender's title policy, the appraisal, and prepaid escrow items. The conveyance fee rate is fixed by state and county law, but who actually pays it, and who pays most other costs, is negotiable in your purchase contract.
Key Takeaways
Franklin County's real property conveyance fee is $3 per $1,000 of sale price, made up of a $1 mandatory state fee and a $2 permissive county fee, per the Franklin County Auditor's Conveyance Standards.
Ohio law under ORC 319.202(C) names the grantor (seller) as the default payer of the conveyance fee, but the purchase contract can legally shift that obligation to the buyer.
The owner's title insurance policy, which protects the buyer's title, is customarily a seller-paid cost in Central Ohio, though this is contractual, not statutory.
Seller concessions (a credit toward the buyer's closing costs) are a common negotiating tool in Central Ohio purchase agreements and can offset buyer-side charges without changing the statutory fee structure.
Across Central Ohio, recent market data shows median sale prices ranging from $440,000 in Delaware to $665,000 in Upper Arlington, meaning the dollar impact of conveyance fees and title costs varies meaningfully by area.
What does the seller typically pay at a Central Ohio closing?
The seller's side of the closing statement in Columbus and surrounding counties generally includes four categories of costs. Here's how I walk my clients through each one before we even get to the table.
The real property conveyance fee (Ohio's transfer tax)
The conveyance fee is the one cost where Ohio law actually weighs in on who pays. Under ORC 319.202(C), the grantor, that's the seller, is identified as the responsible party. In Franklin County (Columbus), the Franklin County Auditor's published conveyance standards set the rate at $3 per $1,000 of sale price. That breaks into a $1 mandatory state fee under ORC 319.54(G)(3) and a $2 permissive county fee under ORC 322.02(A), as confirmed by the Ohio Department of Taxation.
You can use the Franklin County Auditor's online conveyance fee calculator to see what the fee works out to for your specific sale price. One nuance worth knowing: if you currently receive a homestead exemption on the property, Franklin County may waive the permissive county portion of the fee, leaving only the mandatory state portion due at transfer. That's a local policy choice, other Ohio counties may not offer the same waiver.
The rate itself is fixed by statute and county resolution, you and the buyer can't negotiate it down. What IS negotiable is who writes the check. The purchase contract can legally reassign the conveyance fee to the buyer, and multiple closing-cost resources confirm this is a contractual term, not an immutable rule. In practice, though, sellers in Central Ohio nearly always pay it.
Title-related seller costs
Ohio is a title-company-centric closing state, per HomePaird's Ohio closing cost guide. The title company acts as the settlement agent, runs the title search, issues insurance policies, and disburses funds at closing. On the seller's side, that typically means:
Owner's title insurance premium: This policy protects the buyer's ownership interest against title defects discovered after closing. By custom in Central Ohio, the seller pays for the owner's policy, but this is contractual, not statutory. In competitive markets, buyers sometimes offer to take on this cost to make their offer more attractive.
Deed preparation fees: The title company or closing professional prepares the deed and conveyance forms that must meet Franklin County's formatting and compliance standards before the county auditor will accept them.
Recording fees to release liens: If you have a mortgage, judgment lien, or other encumbrance, the title company records a release after payoff. Those recording charges come out of the seller's proceeds.
Title company settlement fees (seller's portion): The title company's escrow and settlement fee is often split between buyer and seller, though the exact split is negotiated in the purchase contract.
Brokerage fees
Broker compensation is fully negotiable, there is no standard, typical, or fixed rate, and none is set by law. Since the 2024 NAR settlement, how buyer-agent compensation is handled has shifted. The listing brokerage fee is agreed in your listing agreement. Any compensation to a buyer's agent is a separate, optional negotiation, sellers are not automatically required to cover it, and per post-settlement rules, offers of compensation are no longer shared on the MLS. As HomePaird's 2026 Ohio guide notes, these conventions are still evolving. This is a conversation worth having directly with me before you sign anything.
Prorated property taxes and other seller credits
Ohio property taxes are paid in arrears, so at closing the seller typically credits the buyer for the portion of the tax year the seller owned the home. The exact proration depends on your county's billing cycle and your closing date. Any agreed repair credits or closing-cost concessions you've offered the buyer also appear as seller-side debits on the settlement statement.
What does the buyer typically pay at a Central Ohio closing?
The buyer's side of the closing statement is largely driven by their lender. Here's what buyers in Columbus and Central Ohio generally bring to the table, per Ohio closing cost guidance:
Loan origination and lender fees: Origination charges, underwriting, processing, and credit report fees are set by the lender and disclosed on the Loan Estimate. These are not negotiable between buyer and seller, only between the buyer and their lender.
Lender's title insurance premium: This policy protects the lender's interest in the property. It's separate from the owner's policy and is always the buyer's cost when financing is involved.
Appraisal: Required by the lender and paid by the buyer, typically before closing.
Prepaid items and escrow deposits: Initial deposits for property tax and homeowner's insurance escrow accounts, plus daily interest from the closing date through the end of the month, are standard buyer-side charges.
One important lever: buyers can negotiate for the seller to contribute a credit toward their closing costs, called seller concessions, in the purchase contract. This is common in Central Ohio and doesn't change who is statutorily responsible for the conveyance fee; it simply offsets some of the buyer's out-of-pocket costs. How much a seller is willing (or able) to offer depends heavily on current market conditions.
For a current read on how much negotiating room exists in your specific area right now, the June 2026 Columbus Housing Market Update gives useful context on where inventory and days on market stand heading into fall.
How closing costs vary across Central Ohio
The conveyance fee rate and the general framework above apply across Columbus-area counties, but the dollar amounts involved shift significantly depending on where your home is. The table below shows recent market data for the areas I work in most, and it illustrates why the same closing cost structure lands differently in Dublin versus Delaware.
AreaMedian Sale PriceMedian Days on MarketLewis Center$549,05548Powell$540,00044Dublin$590,00034Westerville$454,00033Delaware$440,00040Upper Arlington$665,00051New Albany$617,45050Orange Township$594,75064
Source: Recent local market data, aggregated public listing data, trailing ~90 days as of September 2026. Area-level medians, individual home values vary by condition, street, build year, and timing.
A few things worth noting here. First, Franklin County (which covers Columbus, Dublin, and parts of other communities) uses the $3 per $1,000 conveyance fee rate. Delaware County, which covers Lewis Center, Powell, and Delaware city, follows the same statewide framework but you'll want to confirm the exact county rate with the Delaware County Auditor, since permissive county rates can differ. The Ohio Transfer Tax Calculator and Guide is a useful starting point for comparing county rates, but always treat the county auditor's published standards as the authoritative source for your transaction.
Second, days on market matter for negotiability. Dublin's 34-day median tells you it's a faster-moving market where buyers have less leverage to ask for concessions. Orange Township's 64-day median suggests sellers there may need to be more flexible. Your net proceeds depend not just on the fee structure but on how that negotiation plays out, and that's exactly the kind of thing I work through with my clients before we price and list.
If you're weighing a traditional sale against a cash offer, it's worth reading my post on "We Buy Houses" offers in Central Ohio, the closing cost picture looks very different when a cash buyer absorbs some of these costs in exchange for a lower price.
What happens at the closing table in Central Ohio
Once you're under contract, the title company opens the order, runs a title search, and produces a preliminary title commitment showing any liens or encumbrances that need to be cleared before closing. Before closing day, both buyer and seller receive an ALTA Settlement Statement itemizing every charge, seller-side lines on one column, buyer-side on the other. Nothing should surprise you at the table if you've reviewed that document in advance.
On closing day, the title company collects the conveyance fee from the seller's proceeds (or from the buyer if the contract assigns it that way), submits the deed and conveyance form to the county auditor, disburses funds to pay off your mortgage and any other liens, and records the new deed. The Franklin County Auditor's standards specify exact formatting and compliance requirements for the deed and conveyance form, the title company manages that compliance, which is one of the main reasons sellers and buyers in Central Ohio rely on title companies as their settlement agents.
Your specific net proceeds depend on your sale price, your mortgage payoff, which costs your contract assigns to you, and any concessions you've agreed to. The only way to see your real number is to run through it with someone who knows this market, that's what a personalized seller consultation is for.
Frequently Asked Questions
In Columbus, does the seller always have to pay the Ohio real property conveyance fee, or can the buyer pay it instead?
The seller is the default payer under Ohio law, ORC 319.202(C) names the grantor as responsible, and the Franklin County Auditor's standards confirm this, but the purchase contract can legally reassign the fee to the buyer. The rate itself ($3 per $1,000 in Franklin County) is fixed by statute and cannot be negotiated down; only who pays it is a contractual choice. In practice, sellers in Central Ohio almost always pay it, but it's a legitimate negotiating point in any offer.
Who pays for title insurance in Columbus, does the seller cover the owner's policy and the buyer cover the lender's?
By local custom in Central Ohio, yes: the seller typically pays for the owner's title insurance policy (which protects the buyer's ownership interest), and the buyer pays for the lender's title insurance policy (which protects their mortgage lender). This split is contractual, not mandated by Ohio statute, per HomePaird's Ohio closing cost guide. In competitive markets, buyers sometimes offer to absorb the owner's policy cost to strengthen their offer; in slower markets, sellers may offer to cover additional buyer costs to attract offers.
Is the real estate transfer tax in Franklin County negotiable, or is the seller legally required to pay it?
The rate is not negotiable, $3 per $1,000 of sale price in Franklin County, set by state and county law, but who pays it is negotiable in the purchase contract. The seller is the statutory default under ORC 319.202(C), but either party can agree to a different allocation. If you have a homestead exemption on the property, Franklin County may waive the $2 permissive county portion, leaving only the $1 mandatory state fee, use the Franklin County conveyance fee calculator to check your specific situation.
Can I ask the buyer to cover some of my closing costs in our purchase contract?
Yes, this is done regularly in Central Ohio. You can negotiate for the buyer to pay the conveyance fee, contribute to title costs, or take on other items that would otherwise fall to the seller. The reverse is also common: sellers offer concessions (a credit toward the buyer's closing costs) to make a deal work, particularly in markets where homes are sitting longer. What's feasible depends on your price point, competition, and how the offer is structured, I walk my sellers through this before we respond to any offer.
Are closing costs for selling a home in Ohio different in Franklin County versus other Central Ohio counties like Delaware or Licking?
The statewide framework is the same everywhere in Ohio, a mandatory $1 per $1,000 state fee plus a permissive county fee of up to $3 per $1,000, but the permissive portion varies by county. Franklin County charges $2 per $1,000 for its permissive fee (total $3 per $1,000), per the Franklin County Auditor. Delaware and Licking counties may have different permissive rates, and homestead exemption policies also vary. Always confirm the current rate with the relevant county auditor before closing.
What will the title company do at my Columbus closing, and what fees come out of my proceeds?
The title company acts as settlement agent: it runs the title search, clears any liens, prepares the deed and conveyance forms, collects and disburses all funds, remits the conveyance fee to the county auditor, and records the new deed. From your proceeds, the title company will deduct your mortgage payoff, the conveyance fee, owner's title insurance premium, deed preparation and recording fees, brokerage fees per your listing agreement, prorated property taxes, and any agreed credits or concessions to the buyer. You'll see every line item on the ALTA Settlement Statement before closing day, review it carefully, and ask me about anything that looks off.
The bottom line: the conveyance fee rate is set by law, but nearly everything else on a Central Ohio closing statement is a negotiating point. Knowing which costs are yours by default, which can be shifted, and what the market will bear right now is how you protect your net proceeds. That's exactly the conversation I have with every seller before we go to market.
Ready to see what your closing picture actually looks like? Schedule a seller consultation and I'll walk you through a personalized breakdown for your home and situation.
About Chrisi Hagan
Chrisi Hagan is a REALTOR® with the Collins Lassiter Group at Red 1 Realty, serving Columbus and Central Ohio. Ranked in the top 1% of Columbus MLS agents, she specializes in helping buyers and sellers, including those rightsizing, relocating, and military families, make confident moves across Lewis Center, Powell, Dublin, Westerville, Delaware, Upper Arlington, New Albany, and surrounding communities.
Equal Housing Opportunity. Chrisi Hagan is licensed as a Real Estate Salesperson in Ohio, regulated by the Ohio Division of Real Estate & Professional Licensing. This article is general information only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Confirm your specific costs and obligations with your title company, tax advisor, or lender.
