While certain charges are customarily paid by the seller-the real estate agent's commission, for instance-and others by the buyer-loan origination fee, for example-there is no law requiring that specific closing costs are the responsibility of the seller or the buyer, according to Robert J. Bond, writing in "California Real Estate Practice." (Scott, Foresman & Co., third edition, 1988).

The seller pays only one-time or nonrecurring expenses, such as the real estate commission or the transfer tax, while the buyer has both nonrecurring costs-the loan origination fee and the appraisal fee, for example-and recurring costs, such as the property tax proration, hazard insurance and the impound account-also called the tax and insurance reserves or, in some parts of the country, the escrow account.

Maintenance fee proration Divide the monthly fee by 30 for daily rate. Credit seller from close of escrow to end of month. (Seller has usually paid ahead for the entire month.)