There’s a good reason buyers tend to hyperfixate on their monthly mortgage payment: It’s often the number standing between them and the keys to their new home.
But fast-forward a year or a decade, and many are shocked by what comes next: a leaking roof, a surprise insurance hike, or a much higher tax bill than expected at resale. The real costs of homeownership extend far beyond the mortgage, yet these costs are rarely factored into homeowners’ budgets.
“I’ve seen buyers obsess over their mortgage payments and get blindsided by postclosing costs,” says Cody Schuiteboer, president and CEO of Best Interest Financial, a mortgage solutions company. “And in 2026, those surprises are hitting even harder.”…