The True Cost of Owning a Home
What owning costs after you get the keys
The full monthly cost beyond principal and interest — taxes, insurance, PMI, HOA, and the maintenance nobody budgets for — plus a system to manage it.
4 lessons · about 28 minutes total · 100% free
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1. The real monthly cost of owning
Your mortgage payment is only part of what a home costs each month. Stack principal, interest, taxes, insurance, PMI, utilities and upkeep into the true number before you sign.
7 min read
2. Maintenance and the 1% rule
Maintenance is the cost almost nobody budgets for. Use the 1% rule and the per-square-foot rule to size a monthly set-aside, and plan for the roof before it fails.
7 min read
3. Property taxes and insurance
Property taxes and homeowners insurance are the costs most likely to rise. Learn how assessments work, the exemption and appeal levers, what a policy excludes, and why replacement cost matters.
7 min read
4. Building a homeowner financial system
Turn the true cost of owning into a system: separate sinking funds, a home emergency buffer, a yearly equity check, and when PMI removal and refinancing come into view.
7 min read