I was afraid you would say NW or W Houston. I tackle that area last. Here is what I would say is normal for every where else in TX.
2000 fixed lender costs. This can vary of course but most lender have base charges for underwriting, processing, appraisal, credit and flood checks etc.
800 for title. This can slightly very and how they are charged but at the end it is 700-800 per title company.
Now for insurance, figure one half of one percent of the value of the home. So 1500 per year for a 300K home
Taxes. They vary but I start with 2.5% of value of the home. 300K - 7500 per year.
So 2000+800+1500+ two months escrow account, (taxes 625X2 =1250, insurance 125*2= 250) =1500.
Total closing costs 5800 for 300K home loan or 1.93% of sales price.
So you have fixed and variable closing costs of the home. Lets take a 125K sales price
2000 + 800 + 700 = 3500 plus taxes of 520 escrow and you have 4000 in closing costs and 3.25% of 125K
Now for NW and W Houston.
. Huge variations of insurance and taxes then the rest of the state. The taxes are driven buy a tax units called a MUD or municipal utility district that is set up by the developer to finance the basics, roads utilities etc. So in these areas you can go to each development and taxes can range from 2.7 to 3.6%. I have to research each home to track down the tax rate.
Insurance in Houston is higher then anywhere else but mainly driven by proximity to the coast. Pearland is cheaper then Texas City and Cypress is cheaper the Pearland etc. I would throw out my half percent of value of home and start with .8%. Clearly closing costs in these area's need to be upped and percentage of the value of home goes up as well.
Like I posted in the thread closing costs are harder to pin down for a buyer than a seller.