First Time Homebuyer FAQ: How Much Are Closing Costs in 2026? - 438
How to Buy a Home: The #1 First Time Home Buyer Podcast
David Sidoni
4.8 • 891 Ratings
🗓️ 15 January 2026
⏱️ 37 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
You’ve made it through the offers and inspections—now don’t let closing day blindside you. Learn what to expect (and what can still go wrong) in the final stretch of buying your first home. If you’re like most first-time buyers, you think you’re in the clear once your offer is accepted. But the final 4 to 6 weeks—known as “closing”—are packed with surprises that can derail your timeline, your budget, and your sanity. In this myth-busting episode, David Sidoni explains why closing is rarely “set in stone,” and walks you through everything from shifting dates to last-minute costs. Designed specifically for buyers who crave control and clarity, this episode helps you anticipate the unpredictable, manage expectations, and stay grounded when it matters most.
“You can do everything right, but you are just one of dozens of different factors that determine if you close on time.”
Highlights
- Why closing is a process, not a single day—and why that matters
- How even a signed contract doesn’t guarantee your moving date
- What “fluid” means in real estate and how it plays out during closing
- Why your lender, escrow agent, and even the seller can throw wrenches into your plans
- How to protect your peace of mind when the timeline gets shaky
- Practical advice for spreadsheet lovers and Type-A buyers who crave control
- The exact mindset that turns closing chaos into a manageable milestone
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David Sidoni, the "How to Buy a Home Guy," is a seasoned real estate professional and consumer advocate with two decades of experience helping first-time homebuyers navigate the real estate market. His podcast, "How to Buy a Home," is a trusted resource for anyone looking to buy their first home. It offers expert advice, actionable tips, and inspiring stories from real first-time homebuyers. With a focus on making the home-buying process accessible and understandable, David breaks down complex topics into easy-to-follow steps, covering everything from budgeting and financing to finding the right home and making an offer.
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Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | I get thousands of people reaching out to me asking what they should expect at the closing. |
| 0:05.8 | I mean, they've already gone through years and months of home shopping, and then they finally |
| 0:10.2 | get down to the last four to six weeks when you're putting offers in on homes. |
| 0:14.5 | Now you've got nerve-wracking and nail-biting happening because you've got offers, negotiations, |
| 0:19.7 | inspections, all of that |
| 0:20.8 | culminating in the last couple of days when you sign your life away to actually get the keys. |
| 0:26.2 | So how would you like to be beyond over and above prepared for that moment so there are no |
| 0:32.8 | surprises for you? |
| 0:34.3 | Well, let's get you there. |
| 0:35.7 | Today we're going to do a deep dive explaining the ultra |
| 0:38.7 | mysterious first-time home buyer closing costs. What the hell are they? Why are they? And how much |
| 0:45.7 | will they be? If you're new to the podcast, let me give you a quick breakdown on how to use this |
| 0:50.3 | whole podcast library for free so you can learn everything you need to know, including closing |
| 0:55.1 | costs and everything else. There's lots of tips, tactics, and things the big real estate don't |
| 1:01.1 | want you to know. You can start with the number one trusted first time homebuyer system in the |
| 1:05.4 | United States. It's broken down in 10 easy steps, starts at episode 400. After that, check out the playbook for first-time |
| 1:13.7 | homebuyers. That's episodes 388 and 389. And then finally, in the show notes, you're going to find |
| 1:19.9 | something that's called the episode guide. That's where you get a clear list with every first-time |
| 1:24.8 | homebuyer topic laid out for you so you can just find the episode you want |
| 1:28.7 | and get the answers to those burning questions that you have. |
| 1:32.6 | Speaking of questions, today's topic is the one question that nobody out there seems to be |
| 1:38.0 | able to give a clear answer to. |
... |
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