10/07/2026
One of the most Googled questions right now: how much does it actually cost per month to buy a home?
Here's the real answer. 10% down, 30-year fixed, 7.50%, and this is the FULL payment: principal and interest, property tax, insurance, and PMI.
$400K home: $3,214 a month
$600K home: $4,762 a month
$800K home: $6,311 a month
Six months ago, at 6.00%, those same homes were $2,855, $4,224, and $5,593. Same house. Same down payment. The rate alone added $359, $538, and $718 a month. That's $4,305, $6,458, and $8,611 a year.
Here's the part most people miss: only the principal and interest moves with the rate. Taxes, insurance, and PMI are set by the property. So when rates move, your payment moves, and nothing else about the house changed.
And the uncomfortable truth: in this environment, rates are more likely to keep climbing than to drop. Nobody can promise where they go. But I wouldn't build a plan around waiting for a drop.
Comment RATES and we'll run your real numbers: your price point, your down payment, tax, insurance, all of it.
*** (Estimates only, not a loan quote or offer of credit. Assumes 10% down, 30-year fixed, good credit. Excludes HOA dues, utilities, and maintenance. Any changes to ANY of those will ABSOLUTELY change the numbers)