If you are buying a home on Staten Island in 2026, the price you negotiate is only part of the total cost. Closing costs in NYC — the lender fees, title charges, attorney bills, recording taxes, and reserves required at the table — can run anywhere from 3% to 6% of the purchase price depending on whether you are buying a one- to three-family house, a condo, or a co-op, and depending on whether you are using a mortgage. On a \$725,000 Eltingville semi-attached, that is roughly \$22,000 to \$43,500 in cash above and beyond your down payment.

Joseph Ranola — Team Leader of the Bridge and Boro Real Estate Team and a 72-five-star-review Staten Island specialist — walks every buyer through these numbers before the offer goes in. The point of the NYC Closing Cost Calculator is simple: no surprises at the closing table.

What Staten Island Closing Costs Actually Include

Here is the full Staten Island settlement-statement breakdown for a typical 2026 purchase. Numbers are rough; your calculator output will be precise.

Lender and Mortgage Costs

If you are financing, expect: NYC Mortgage Recording Tax (1.8% of the loan on loans under \$500K, 1.925% above — paid by the borrower), lender origination/underwriting fees (\$1,500–\$3,500), appraisal (\$650–\$1,200), credit report (\$75–\$200), and prepaid interest, taxes, and insurance escrowed at closing. On a \$580,000 loan in Great Kills, the mortgage recording tax alone is roughly \$11,165.

Title Insurance and Search

Owner’s title insurance and lender’s title insurance combined run roughly 0.5%–0.8% of the purchase price, plus title search, recording fees, and any judgment/lien searches. Expect \$3,500–\$7,000 on most Staten Island houses.

Attorney Fees

Every NYC residential transaction needs a buyer’s attorney. Plan on \$2,000–\$3,500 on Staten Island, depending on the attorney and complexity (mixed-use, two-family, estate, etc.).

NYC and NYS Transfer-Adjacent Costs

Staten Island residential transfer taxes are seller-paid in most deals, but buyers should still check the contract. Buyers also pay NYS mortgage tax stamps, recording fees, and a small tax escrow holdback on certain new construction.

Inspection, Survey, and Reserves

Budget \$650–\$1,200 for a thorough Staten Island inspection (especially on older South Shore housing stock with finished basements and additions), \$0–\$1,000 for survey if needed, and at least two months’ worth of property tax and insurance reserves escrowed by the lender.

Staten Island Closing Costs by Property Type

Single-family detached, Tottenville/Annadale/Great Kills (\$700K–\$1.1M): Plan on roughly 4%–5% of price in total closing costs if financing.

Two-family, New Dorp/Eltingville/Bulls Head (\$850K–\$1.4M): Slightly higher because the mortgage tax tier kicks up over \$500K loan. Budget 4.5%–5.5%.

Todt Hill estate (\$1.6M+): Add the NYC Mansion Tax — 1% on \$1M–\$1.99M, scaling up to 3.9% above \$25M. On a \$2.1M Todt Hill house, that is \$31,500 buyer-paid.

Co-ops (rare on SI but exist): No mortgage recording tax, no title insurance — closing costs are typically the lowest, around 2%–3%.

How the Bridge and Boro Closing Cost Playbook Works

Before you make an offer, Joseph builds a personalized closing-cost worksheet using the same engine that powers the public NYC Closing Cost Calculator. The worksheet includes:

• Exact purchase price and loan amount
• Mortgage recording tax tiered for SI buyers
• Title insurance quotes from preferred title companies
• Attorney fee range based on attorney choice
• Lender-by-lender comparison of origination and prepaid items
• Reserve requirements for taxes and homeowners insurance

The result is a single number — cash to close — that you can plan against. If you are also weighing whether to keep renting, run the Rent vs Buy Calculator first. If you are not sure how much house you can carry, start with the Home Affordability Calculator. Brooklyn buyers asking the parallel question can read NYC Closing Costs for Brooklyn Buyers in 2026.

First-Time Buyer Programs That Reduce Closing Cash

Staten Island first-time buyers in 2026 may qualify for HomeFirst, SONYMA, or NYC HPD programs that cover up to \$100,000 in down payment and closing costs. Run the numbers in the First-Time Buyer Grant Calculator and read Staten Island First-Time Home Buyer Grants 2026 for the full eligibility map.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much are closing costs on a \$700,000 Staten Island house? Roughly \$22,000–\$32,000 if financing, depending on loan size, attorney, and title quote. Cash purchases run lower because there is no mortgage recording tax.

Who pays the NYC transfer tax in Staten Island? The seller pays NYC and NYS transfer taxes in nearly every residential resale. Buyers pay the mortgage recording tax, mansion tax (above \$1M), and standard buyer-side fees.

Can I roll closing costs into my mortgage on Staten Island? A portion can sometimes be lender-credited or seller-concession-funded, but raw cash to close is rarely zero. The calculator shows what stays cash-required.

How early should I run a closing cost estimate? Before you write your first offer. Joseph recommends running the calculator on at least three target price points so you understand the cash gap between, say, a \$650K Eltingville buy and a \$795K New Dorp buy.