How much should lender fees be on a $200,000 loan?
Most answers multiply a percent band by your loan amount. Here is the public record instead: what lenders reported charging on real loans of this size under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act.
A $200,000 loan sits inside a single measurement band in the data, $150K to $300K. For conventional purchase loans in 2024:
| Loan size | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150K to $300K | $1,211 | $2,036 | $3,996 |
Source: HMDA public loan data, 2024, national, Section A only
So the direct answer: on a $200,000 conventional purchase, the middle of the public record is right around $2,000, and half of all loans this size landed between roughly $1,200 and $4,000. A quarter paid less than $1,211. This is the one loan size where the old 0.5 to 1 percent rule of thumb happens to describe the record: 1 percent of $200,000 is $2,000, almost exactly the median. On larger loans that rule drifts away from reality fast, which is why the dollar figures matter more than the percent.
Points are why the 75th percentile stretches. One point on a $200,000 loan is $2,000, paid once to lower the rate, and it books into the same Section A total this table measures. A quote near $4,000 with two points and a visibly lower rate is a different deal from $4,000 in bare fees. Judge fees and rate together, never either alone.
One honest wrinkle at this size: rate and term refinances between $150K and $300K showed a HIGHER median than purchases in 2024, $2,399 against $2,036. Cash out refinances ran higher still, at a $4,535 median.
For other loan sizes and programs, the full size banded dataset is on our State of Mortgage Fees page, downloadable as CSV. Nearby sizes: $300,000, $400,000, $500,000.
Common questions
Is a $4,000 lender fee total high on a $200,000 loan?
It sits right at the 75th percentile of the 2024 record for conventional purchases this size, so three quarters of comparable loans closed for less. Whether points explain it is the first thing to check: two points alone would be $4,000 on this loan.
Do these figures include title, appraisal, and escrow?
No. This table measures Section A only, the lender's own charges. Third party services and prepaids are separate kinds of money, covered in our closing costs vs prepaids guide.
What about FHA and VA loans this size?
In the $150K to $300K band, 2024 medians were $2,821 for FHA purchases and $653 for VA purchases. The full table by program is on the data page.
This page answers the general question. What it cannot answer is where your numbers sit. The AI reads your Loan Estimate line by line and grades your Section A total and your rate against this same public data, priced for your credit, your down payment, and your loan type. One upload, one $29 report, and your document is deleted once it is delivered.