09/17/2026
A while back I told you the number on your mortgage approval isn't what you'll actually pay each month. New construction takes that and adds a few surprises resale buyers never see. Here's the full monthly picture on a $393,800 new build, which is the current national median.
The mortgage. With 10% down and a rate near 7%, principal and interest is about $2,330. If the builder buys your rate down to the high 5s, closer to $2,070. That's the number on the flyer. Now keep going.
Property taxes. This is the one that bites. Your first year is often taxed on the empty lot, not the finished house. Your escrow gets set on that low number. Then the county reassesses, the bill doubles or triples, and your payment jumps a year in. Plan on $330 to $650 a month depending on your state, and expect the adjustment.
Special district taxes. Many new communities sit in a MUD, PID, CFD or similar district that paid for the roads and sewer. That's an extra line on your tax bill for 20 to 30 years. Sometimes $100 to $400 a month. It's disclosed, but it's in the paperwork, not on the sign.
HOA dues. New communities almost always have one. $50 to $250 a month, more with a pool and a gate.
Insurance. Roughly $150 to $250 a month, though new builds usually get a break for the new roof, wiring and plumbing.
The stuff the builder doesn't include. Blinds, a fridge, a washer and dryer, backyard landscaping, a fence, sometimes gutters. Budget $10,000 to $25,000 in the first year. That's real money that ends up on a credit card if nobody warns you.
All in, that $2,070 flyer payment is realistically $2,700 to $3,500 a month once the house is done and the county catches up. Not bad. Just not what the sign said.
I run this exact breakdown for every buyer before we tour a single model. Comment BUILD and I'll send you a list of every new construction home in our area.
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Lindsey Krenk
REMAX Results
Licensed in NE and IA
402-512-6050
