There are 58 counties in California and in only two is it 'customary' that the Seller of real estate pay the Escrow Charges, Title Fees - Owners Policy, and the Documentary Transfer Tax: Santa Clara and San Benito Counties.  

Santa Clara and San Mateo share a county line so an expensive move is a person moving from Santa Clara to San Mateo county because in San Mateo County the buyer pays all of the expenses and the Seller pays those expenses in Santa Clara County. In most counties the tradition is to split the closing costs but the Documentary Transfer Tax is paid by the Seller in every county and every city except the city of Ridgecrest in Kern County where it is split 50-50 between buyer and seller.

Tradition also  follows that the Listing Realtor will open the escrow with a Title company and that is the company to be used but this can be negotiated between buyer and seller. Last month I had a listing and the buyers Realtor requested another Title Company and we respectfully declined. He sent and email saying "OK" then days later on a Friday night after hours he informed us that the buyer changed his mind and they had opened the escrow with their own Title company. I am in Santa Clara County where it is 'customary' for the Seller to pay the fees so I sent back an email saying we agreed that the buyer could use his own Title company since it was really really important to him to use that company but we wanted the buyer to pay the escrow fees. Suddenly it was not so important for the buyer to use his own company and he decided to go with the escrow that was already opened.  

Why is it customary in one County for the Seller to pay and in another County for the Buyer to pay the closing costs? The best answer ? I don't know and not sure anyone knows but home buying and home selling is negotiation after negotiation -- these costs can be negotiated as well.