On the $5,000 closing cost, it was $2,800 for lender closing fees; $1,355 for closing agent, and $1,500 in estimated prepaids/reserves.

Don't be intimidated by the attorneys on the other side, the only thing a retainer means is that they have been pre-paid, possibly at a lower rate, and they have a clock ticking away.

Some of the big items are the lenders title policy (if you take out a loan), the loan origination fees, and the prepaid taxes and insurance.An insurance agent can give you an accurate price for insurance.

Never tried it but I hear legal zoom is good and I also think you get some help with this if you look into prepaid legal services.

If the prepaids are included in the $2700 it might be OK.Also be sure you're buying landlord, vacant house, or builders risk insurance, not homeowners.

Paying a lawyer to draft or look over the agreement is (IMO) optional if you can get someone knowledgable to review it for free or perhaps have it looked over by Prepaid Legal.I recently hooked up with someone to teach me how to broker notes, and he let me write the agreement (but reviewed and modified it).

The aspect of adding the Real Estate Commission as a source to hear my complaint would seem to be added incentive for the LL Realtor to return my prepaid rent.

Notice if mailed, shall be by certified mail, postage prepaid, to the Landlord/Seller’s address of record, and shall be deemed to have been given upon the day shown on the postmark of the envelope in which such notice is mailed.

Pre-paid rents go to the owner.

Looks like you've got $80K into this place, and the refi's going to cost you $3000-4000 (some of that is the prepaids), so looks like your new loan is $84K.