Owning

Owning — what nobody told you about the second year.

Owning a home is a stream of decisions: stay or sell, refinance or hold, repair or replace. The owning section quantifies what each decision actually costs.

Hidden costs Stay vs sell Refi vs hold
Tools

Calculators for owners.

Live

Stay vs Sell Break-Even

If you sold today, how many more years would you need to have stayed for it to have been worth it?

Open Live

Payment Shock

Insurance jumps, taxes climb, ARM resets — what your monthly cost could become.

Open Live

True Monthly Cost

Run the math on your current home to confirm what you're really paying each month.

Open Live

House Poor Risk Score

If costs rose or income dropped, where would the strain show up first? A diagnostic.

Open
Guides

Guides for owners.

Guide

Hidden costs of homeownership

Maintenance, insurance creep, tax reassessment, HOA pass-throughs — the recurring drain.

Open Guide

The true cost of owning a home

Beyond P&I — the full picture of what owning costs across a 5- to 10-year hold.

Open Guide

Property tax explained

How assessment works, why your bill jumps after purchase, and what you can do about it.

Open Guide

Homeowners insurance explained

Coverage basics, why premiums are spiking, and the carrier-shopping playbook that works.

Open Guide

Selling costs explained

Agent commissions, title fees, repairs, concessions — the 7–9% reality of selling.

Open Guide

Refinance vs keep current mortgage

When the math actually works to refinance — and when it's a manufactured opportunity.

Open
FAQ

Common ownership questions.

How much should I budget for maintenance each year?
The standard rule is 1% of home value for a single-family home, 0.7% for a townhome, and 0.4% for a condo where the HOA covers the exterior. Older homes and those in harsh climates run higher. Whether you set it aside in a sinking fund or not, you'll spend it.
When should I refinance?
When the rate drop is large enough to recoup closing costs (typically 2–3% of the loan) within your remaining hold period. A common rule of thumb: rates need to drop at least 0.75 percentage points and you need to plan to stay at least 3–5 more years. Run the actual numbers — don't trust the rule of thumb.
Why did my property tax jump so much last year?
Two main reasons: the assessor reset your value (often after purchase or on a periodic reappraisal cycle), or the millage rate rose to fund local services. Texas, Florida, and California all have well-documented post-sale reassessment effects.
Should I sell or keep renting it out if I move?
Depends on the cap rate (annual rent / property value, net of expenses), the local rental demand, and whether you can manage the property remotely. A well-located property with a 5%+ cap rate and steady tenant demand often justifies keeping. A property with a sub-3% cap rate is often financially better to sell.
Stress-test the home you have

Run the True Monthly Cost calculator with today's tax bill and insurance quote.

Most owners haven't recalibrated since closing. Insurance, taxes, and HOA dues all drift upward. Confirm what you're actually paying.

Open True Monthly Cost Run a Payment Shock test