Buyer resource
What will your monthly payment actually be?
The number your lender quotes is only part of the story. This calculator shows your full monthly cost, including principal, interest, property taxes, insurance, PMI, and HOA, with defaults built for Los Angeles County.
National average for a 30 year fixed loan is around 6.5 percent as of July 2026. Your rate depends on your credit and your lender.
Taxes, insurance, and HOA
New buyers in LA County typically pay about 1.1 to 1.3 percent of the purchase price. 1.21 is a solid planning number. Your exact rate depends on the city.
Most flatland homes in LA County and the Inland Empire run roughly $1,000 to $2,000 per year. Fire zone properties run much higher. This default scales with the home price, and we plug in a real quote during your consultation.
Applies automatically under 20 percent down and turns off above it. Check or uncheck to override. FHA loans keep mortgage insurance even with a larger down payment, so check the box and use about 0.55 for an FHA scenario. Conventional PMI runs 0.46 to 1.5 depending on credit.
Common for condos and townhomes. Enter 0 for most single family homes.
One time cost, not part of the monthly payment. Buyers in California typically pay 2 to 3 percent of the price for lender fees, title, escrow, and prepaid taxes and insurance.
Estimated monthly payment
/mo
Estimated cash to close
One time costs paid at closing, separate from your monthly payment. Adjust the closing cost percent under taxes, insurance, and HOA.
Your loan over time
Every payment shifts a little more toward principal and a little less toward interest. Here is how your balance falls across the life of the loan.
Look inside any year of the loan
Drag the slider to see where your money goes in that year.
Common questions
What does PITI mean?
PITI stands for principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. It is your true monthly housing cost. Principal pays down the loan, interest is the cost of borrowing, taxes go to the county, and insurance protects the home. Many payments also include PMI or HOA dues on top of that.
How much are property taxes in LA County?
A new buyer in Los Angeles County typically pays about 1.1 to 1.3 percent of the purchase price per year. The exact rate depends on the city because of local voter approved assessments. One more thing most buyers never see coming: a few months after closing, the county sends a separate supplemental tax bill to catch up the reassessment. I wrote a full guide on the supplemental tax bill so it never surprises my clients.
When does PMI go away?
On a conventional loan, PMI cancels automatically when your balance is scheduled to reach 78 percent of the home's original value, and you can request removal at 80 percent. Put 20 percent or more down and you never pay it at all. The calculator above shows the estimated month your PMI would end.
Why is so much of my early payment interest?
Interest is charged on the balance you still owe, and that balance is biggest at the start. So early payments are mostly interest, and the mix shifts toward principal every month. Use the year slider above to watch it happen. It is also why extra principal payments early in the loan save the most money.
How much are closing costs in California?
Plan on about 2 to 3 percent of the purchase price. That covers lender fees, title insurance, escrow, and prepaid items like taxes and insurance. This is one time cash due at closing, on top of your down payment, which is why the calculator shows cash to close separately from the monthly payment. On some deals we can negotiate a seller credit that covers part of it.
Is this a rate quote?
No. This is an educational estimate. Your actual rate, PMI, taxes, and insurance depend on your credit, the property, and your lender. When you are ready, I will connect you with lenders my clients trust so you can compare real numbers.
This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only and is not a loan offer, a rate quote, or financial advice. Default values reflect market conditions as of July 2026 and Los Angeles County norms. Actual payments vary based on credit, property, loan program, and lender. Property taxes and insurance typically change over time. Consult a licensed lender for accurate figures and your own tax professional for tax questions.
Numbers are the easy part. Strategy wins the house.
Once you know your comfortable payment, the next step is a plan for the neighborhoods and price points where that payment goes furthest. That conversation costs nothing.