*Monthly payment calculation above may not reflect accurate monthly taxes, mortgage insurance or applicable HOA dues.
When you're shopping for a home, using a mortgage calculator should be one of your first stops. It can help you figure out if a home is within your budget or if it's a good investment for you.
What Should I Pay Attention To On A Mortgage Calculator?
There are three big numbers you should be looking at on the calculator:
- Monthly Cost: If this number is something you can't afford, it doesn't matter if it's a good deal or not. Keep the payments within your budget. This may mean rethinking how much house you can afford or how quickly you can pay it off.
- Total Cost: This is how much you'll pay over the life of loan, assuming you pay the minimum each month and don't make extra payments. Use this to compare different loans to get an idea of the true cost of each one.
- Total Interest Paid: The interest you pay stacks up over the life of a loan. It's good to use the calculator to see how much you'll be paying with different loans.
