Title insurance appears to go up in price where housing is dense, increasing closing costs for buyers and sellers, suggests a new study by Bankrate.com. Other variances that impact closing costs from state to state are fees for settlement services and title searches.

Fees controlled by lenders, origination costs, do not appear to vary much from state to state.

Bankrate.com surveyed nine to 15 lenders in every state and Washington, D.C. to estimate closing costs on a mortgage at $180,000 for a family home worth $225,000.

The average buyer in Laramie, Wyoming would pay $2,101 in origination fees, title insurance, and other closing costs, but a buyer in New York City would pay $3,907 for the same loan.

New York was the highest cost for title insurance at $1,451, while North Carolina boasted the cheapest title insurance at $439. Wyoming priced at $461. The national average for title insurance was $756, suggesting that the more densely populated an area is, the more likely that title insurance will be more expensive.

With more properties that turn over more frequently, there is inherently more risk. With fewer properties, there are fewer transactions and less risk for fraud because rural participants in a transaction are more likely to know one another.

"And some states simply represent greater risks associated with doing business there," James Maher, executive vice president of the American Land Title Association, told Bankrate.com. He explained that all states have differing customs and laws, and differing judicial and regulatory climates. "There are other reasons for price variations. Some places have "all-inclusive" title insurance, where the price includes not only the insurance premium, but other services such as title search, examination of title, closing and other settlement services. Other places are called "risk-only" jurisdictions, where the insurance premium is itemized separately from related services."

Bankrate.com found the national average for total buyer closing costs on $180,000 loan was $2,748.

To see the state-to-state comparisons, click here.

Published: November 21, 2005

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Blanche Evans is the award-winning senior editor of Realty Times, the Internet's leading independent real estate news service. She is featured daily on the Realty Times Video Network in the "Realty Viewpoint" segment. Blanche has been named one of the "25 Most Influential People In Real Estate" by REALTOR Magazine, and has been twice recognized as a "notable." In 2005, she was named "Top Reporter Covering the NAR" by Delahaye-Bacon's. Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. To contact Blanche, email her at . For more articles by Blanche, click here.