Closing Costs - Am I paying too much?

[Alex Boyce]

Hey BP, I'm new to real estate investing, and wanted to get some opinions on closing costs. I have already bought and sold a primary residence, prior to really getting into doing it as an investment. Made a profit, but was primarily due to market appreciation. The reason for my question is I feel like paid way too much for closing, both when buying and selling. I've seen a few other closing assumptions used and they were less than what I paid: Buying - Purchase Price: $135,000. Closing costs: ~$7,000 Selling - Selling Price: $180,000. Closing costs: ~$14,000 Did I get ripped off? Is this a function of my real estate agent? Should I find ways to lower this or suck it up? I have the final HUD somewhere that shows the detail. I'll see if I can dig it up for specifics. Thoughts?