Condo Carrying Cost Calculator

How the calculator works

It adds up five monthly costs. Principal and interest uses the standard fixed-rate formula: loan amount times the monthly rate, divided by one minus (1 + monthly rate) to the power of minus the number of payments. Property tax is the price times the tax rate, divided by 12. HOA dues go in as entered. A special assessment is your share divided by the months it’s paid over, and the result shows the total with and without it. HO-6 insurance is the yearly premium divided by 12.

With the example numbers ($1,100,000, 20% down, 7.32% for 30 years), the loan is $880,000 and principal and interest is about $6,045 a month. Property tax at 1.2% adds $1,100. Add $900 in dues and $100 for HO-6 and the total is about $8,145 before any special assessment.

Conforming, high-balance or jumbo

The result labels the loan amount. In Los Angeles County, the 2026 conforming loan limit for one unit is $1,249,125 (FHFA). A loan at or under that is in the conventional range, including high-balance, and the building has to meet Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac project rules. Above it, the loan is a jumbo, and the lender’s own condo rules apply. With 20% down, the limit covers prices up to about $1.56M. This is the 2026 figure; check FHFA for 2027.

Why dues matter more than they look

Lenders count HOA dues in your debt-to-income ratio, the same way they count a car payment. A building that raises dues by $200 a month lowers the loan you qualify for, even though the price didn’t change. That’s why the reserve changes matter to buyers: a board that raises reserves to 15% for 2027 often does it through dues. The 15% Reserve Test shows how much a building’s budget would need to move. Ask your lender whether they count a special assessment payment in your ratio too.

Property tax in Los Angeles

Under Prop 13, the base rate is 1% of assessed value, and the county reassesses to the purchase price when you buy. Voter-approved bonds and local assessments add to that, so the total rate depends on the tax rate area. 1.2% is a common starting estimate for LA County; the bill for a recent sale in the same building tells you more. After closing, expect a supplemental tax bill for the change in assessed value. Some newer buildings also carry Mello-Roos or other special taxes, which this calculator doesn’t include.

Insurance: HO-6 and the earthquake deductible

Since July 1, 2026, Fannie Mae caps a master policy’s per-unit deductible at $50,000, and when the master policy has one, your HO-6 has to cover at least that amount for that peril. Ask the insurance agent what your premium buys before you settle on a number here.

Earthquake coverage is a separate risk. Across 67 LA-area HOA policies, the median quake deductible rose from 10% of building value in 2016 to 25% in 2025 (LA Business Journal, October 12, 2026). On a building insured for $60 million with a 25% deductible and 120 units, the even share is $125,000 per unit. The optional earthquake fields show that exposure as a one-time figure. How a real loss is split depends on the CC&Rs, and HO-6 loss assessment coverage may cover part of it.

The non-QM compare

If a building doesn’t meet conventional rules, non-QM and portfolio loans are often the next path. Reported 2026 terms run 20% to 25% down in most cases, with rates roughly 0.5 to 2 points above conforming. The compare uses your rate plus the spread you enter (1.0 point by default) and the down payment you enter (25% by default), and shows the monthly difference and the extra cash at closing. These are your inputs, not a quote; our lender partner confirms current terms.

What it leaves out

• Mortgage insurance, which a conventional loan usually adds under 20% down.
• Closing costs, utilities, and Mello-Roos or other special taxes.
• Adjustable-rate loans. The math assumes a fixed rate for the full term.
• Future dues increases and rate changes. It doesn’t predict either.

Sources

• FHFA conforming loan limits for 2026, Los Angeles County: $1,249,125 (one unit)
• Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed 7.32%, October 22, 2026: freddiemac.com/pmms
• Fannie Mae Lender Letter LL-2026-03, March 18, 2026 (per-unit deductible cap and HO-6 rule)
• LA Business Journal, “HOAs pay more for less coverage,” October 12, 2026: labusinessjournal.com
• Non-QM terms: lender summaries compiled October 2026 (Intercap Lending, DiVita Home Finance, HousingWire)

An estimate from the numbers you enter, as of October 27, 2026. It isn’t a loan quote, a rate prediction, or tax, lending or insurance advice. Confirm figures with your lender, insurance agent and the county assessor.