Second Home True Cost Calculator

Calculate the true cost of owning a second home or vacation property.

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Second Home Cost

Enter the property details and your usage.

Annual cost of ownership
$0
Cost per night used: $0
Annual mortgage payment
$0
Property tax
$0
Insurance
$0
Maintenance
$0
Total annual cost
$0
Cost per night
$0

Worked example

With the default inputs shown below, this calculator returns the following results:

InputValue
Purchase price ($)$500,000
Down payment ($)$150,000
Mortgage rate (%)7%
Property tax rate (%)1.2%
Annual insurance ($)$2,000
Annual maintenance (%)1.5%
Nights used per year30
ResultValue
Annual cost of ownership$43,443
Annual mortgage payment$27,943
Property tax$6,000
Insurance$2,000
Maintenance$7,500
Total annual cost$43,443

Values shown are produced by this page in your browser; change any input to update them.

How to use the Second Home Cost

  1. Purchase price ($) — default $500,000
  2. Down payment ($) — default $150,000
  3. Mortgage rate (%) — default 7%
  4. Property tax rate (%) — default 1.2%
  5. Annual insurance ($) — default $2,000
  6. Annual maintenance (%) — default 1.5%
  7. Nights used per year — default 30
  8. Press Calculate to update the results instantly.

Frequently asked questions

Beyond the mortgage you pay property tax, insurance at higher rates, maintenance, utilities and any management fee. Expect 3-5% of the property value each year.
Divide total annual cost by nights stayed. 40 nights a year on $18,000 of costs is $450 a night, often more than renting.
Usually yes if local rules allow. Short lets can cover 30-60% of costs, but add cleaning, management and wear.

Sources & references