What buying and owning a home in the U.S. really costs.

Free calculators

• Property tax calculator

  Estimate your bill from value, assessment ratio, exemptions and mill rate.

• Home affordability calculator

  Find a realistic price with the 28/36 rule, taxes, insurance and PMI included.

• True monthly cost calculator

  Everything you pay each month, not just principal and interest.

• Rent vs. buy calculator

  Compare the full cost of renting and buying over the years you plan to stay.

• PMI removal calculator

  See when you can cancel mortgage insurance and how extra payments help.

• Mortgage points calculator

  Find the break-even month before you pay for a lower rate.

Latest guides

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  Are Mortgage Points Worth It? How to Find Your Break-Even

  What discount points cost, how much they lower your rate and payment, and how to tell whether you'll keep the loan long enough for them to pay off.

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  Earnest Money Explained: How Much, Who Holds It, When You Lose It

  What an earnest money deposit is, typical amounts, who holds it, the contingencies that protect it, and a worked example on a $350,000 home.

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  FHA vs. Conventional Loan: Down Payment, Credit and Insurance

  Compare FHA and conventional mortgages on down payment, credit scores and mortgage insurance, with a side-by-side example on a $300,000 home.

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  Home Buying Timeline: Every Step From Pre-Approval to Keys

  The steps of buying a home in order, from setting a budget and getting pre-approved to closing day, with the deadlines that set the pace and a sample schedule.

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  Flood Insurance Explained: Who Needs It and What It Covers

  Why home insurance excludes floods, when lenders require flood cover, NFIP limits, the 30-day wait and how to decide if you need a policy.

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  Home Inspection Guide: What It Covers and How to Negotiate

  What a standard home inspection checks and skips, when to add radon, sewer scope or termite inspections, typical cost, and how to use the report to negotiate.

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  How Much to Budget for Home Maintenance Each Year

  The 1% rule, the 2% rule and the square-footage rule, where each falls short, and how to build a repair fund around your home's actual systems.

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  HOA Fees Explained: Dues, Reserves and Special Assessments

  What HOA and condo dues pay for, how reserves and special assessments work, how dues affect your mortgage approval, and which documents to read first.

Browse by topic

• Closing Costs

  What buyers and sellers pay at closing, fee by fee, and how to check the numbers.

• Property Taxes

  How property tax is calculated, what each state charges and how to lower your bill.

• Home Insurance

  Homeowners and flood insurance costs, coverage and why premiums are rising.

• Cost of Owning

  Utilities, HOA fees, maintenance and the real monthly cost of a home.

• First-Time Buyers

  Programs, loan limits and step-by-step guides for your first home.