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True monthly cost of a home

What a house actually costs you every month, including everything nobody mentions.

OpenAfford works out the full monthly cost of a specific listing for first-time buyers and people relocating, including tax at the reassessed value, current insurance quotes, fees, mortgage insurance, utilities and maintenance.

No account. No card. No sales call.

  • Tax at the reassessed value, not the seller's
  • Insurance quotes for that property
  • Free for buyers, no account required

The problem

Affordability calculators show principal and interest and stop.

The real monthly cost also includes property tax at the reassessed value after purchase, insurance at current quoted rates, association fees, private mortgage insurance, utilities scaled to the actual house, and a maintenance reserve nobody budgets.

Buyers commit to a payment and discover afterwards that it is far higher than the calculator said.

Who it is for

  • First-time buyers

    Buyers aged 25 to 45 who want the real monthly number before making an offer.

  • People relocating

    People moving who want the true monthly cost of the house they are looking at.

  • Mortgage brokers and agents

    Brokers and agents who lose deals when buyers discover the real number after the offer.

See what this house really costs you a month

Put in the price, down payment, rate, tax, insurance and fees. See the real monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment, and how long PMI lasts. Runs in your browser. No account, no card, no call.

The house

Runs in your browser. Nothing is sent.

The real monthly cost is $3,816, which is $1,335 more than the $2,481 mortgage payment.
Real cost a month
$3,816
Beyond the mortgage payment
$1,335
Down payment
$42,500
loan of $382,500
PMI
$191 a month
for about 9 years 4 months

Every part of the monthly cost

Principal and interest
$2,481
Property tax
$390
Home insurance
$150
Association fees
$0
PMI
$191
Maintenance set aside
$354
Utilities
$250
Total
$3,816

Take this with you

No email required. It is your result.

OpenAfford — true monthly cost
· $425,000 home, 10% down: $3,816 a month
· $1,335 on top of the $2,481 mortgage payment
· PMI of $191 a month for about 9 years 4 months

Run it yourself: https://openafford.com

Method: principal and interest use standard amortisation. PMI is modelled until the loan reaches 78% of the purchase price on the original schedule, when it is normally cancelled automatically. Tax, insurance, fees and upkeep are your estimates for this address.

Every monthly cost for a specific address

Honest total cost modelling that goes past principal and interest, then shows the income a house genuinely requires.

  1. Tax after reassessment

    The actual tax assessment and the reassessment rule for that jurisdiction, rather than the seller's assessment.

  2. Real insurance quotes

    Insurance quotes for that property, including flood and wind where relevant.

  3. Fees and mortgage insurance

    Association fees from the listing, and private mortgage insurance modelled along with when it drops off.

  4. Utilities and maintenance

    Utilities estimated from the property's size, age and local rates, plus a maintenance reserve based on age and systems.

  5. What if costs move

    See what happens if rates, insurance or taxes move.

  6. Income genuinely required

    The income genuinely required, rather than what a lender will approve.

Pricing

Free always for buyers. An optional monthly plan adds saved comparisons, alerts and a purchase-readiness plan.

True-cost analysis

The full monthly cost for any listing address.

Freealways, for buyers
  • No account required
  • Tax, insurance, fees and maintenance
Use the calculator
Recommended

Purchase readiness

For buyers comparing properties.

$9per month, optional
  • Saved property comparison
  • Alerts
  • Full purchase-readiness plan
Get in touch

Mortgage and insurance referrals apply only where you choose to proceed, and are disclosed with the referral fee stated. Prices in USD.

How it works

OpenAfford, from the first step to the result.

  1. 1

    Enter a listing address

    No account required.

  2. 2

    See the true monthly cost

    Tax, insurance, fees, mortgage insurance, utilities and maintenance.

  3. 3

    Test what could change

    Rates, insurance and taxes moving, and the income genuinely required.

Questions people actually ask

What does it cost buyers?
Nothing. The true-cost analysis is free always for buyers, with no account required.
Which costs are included?
Property tax at the reassessed value, insurance quotes for the property including flood and wind where relevant, association fees, private mortgage insurance and when it drops off, utilities, and a maintenance reserve.
How is property tax estimated?
From the actual tax assessment and the reassessment rule for that jurisdiction, rather than the seller's assessment.
Is this what a lender will approve?
No. It shows what income is genuinely required, rather than what a lender will approve.
How does OpenAfford make money?
From mortgage and insurance referrals where you choose to proceed, disclosed transparently with the referral fee stated.
What does the paid plan include?
For an optional 9 dollars a month: saved property comparison, alerts and a full purchase-readiness plan.
Why should I trust the true monthly cost calculator?
It is standard mortgage maths on the numbers you enter, with every part of the monthly cost listed on its own so you can check it.

See what this house really costs you a month

Put in the price, down payment, rate, tax, insurance and fees. See the real monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment, and how long PMI lasts. Runs in your browser. No account, no card, no call.

Open the free tool

It runs in your browser. OpenAfford never sees your inputs.