Illustrative inputs — not a quote or a local average.
Keep settlement and carrying costs distinct
For a Virginia purchase, obtain the local parcel tax estimate and an itemized settlement quote. Recording and transfer charges are transaction costs, while the recurring property bill belongs in the annual tax field. Avoid counting a closing proration as a permanent additional tax.
Build the cash reserve alongside the payment
For a condominium or planned community, review the dues and any shared repair obligations. Keep special assessments outside the regular monthly amount unless they are truly recurring. The affordability result is only as complete as the expenses entered.
An illustrative sensitivity check
An additional $1,200 in annual tax or insurance adds $100 to the monthly budget. An additional $75 in monthly association dues adds another $900 per year. These are arithmetic examples, not local averages. Change those fields independently to see whether the home still fits before adjusting the mortgage rate or term.
Worked example
Illustrative inputs — not a quote or a local average.
- Loan amount
- $320,000.00
- Interest rate
- 6.5 %
- Loan term
- 30 years
- Annual property tax
- $4,200.00
- Annual home insurance
- $1,800.00
- Monthly HOA dues
- $0.00
- Monthly mortgage insurance
- $0.00
Monthly housing estimate: $2,522.62. Principal & interest: $2,022.62. Total interest: $408,142.36.
Questions, answered
Are the starting figures Virginia averages?
No. They are illustrative inputs shared across the site. Replace tax and insurance with address-specific annual estimates and use an actual loan quote.
Where are the supporting references?
The linked property-tax and insurance guides contain the external references. This state worksheet uses internal links only.