I’d Never Buy a House Without Knowing This Number

Living in Sacramento? Here's how much house you can actually afford, and the real monthly payment nobody puts in the listing. Living in Roseville A $650,000 home with 10% down doesn't cost $3,800 a month. Add property taxes, insurance, and special assessments, and the real number lands between roughly $4,600 and $5,000. That gap is how buyers end up house poor. If you're moving to Sacramento or already living in Sacramento suburbs, Kat Farless walks you through the full payment stack, prices three real lives at $550K, $650K, and $850K, and gives you the two numbers that matter more than the house price: your comfort number and your cash number. 📖 FREE NorCal Reel Relocation Guide Run your own numbers in our affordability calculator, get pre-approved with our trusted lender, and compare all eight of our communities side by side with our full buying timeline. 🏡 Get the guide and search homes: https://thenorcalreel.com/ 💬 Or comment GUIDE below and we'll send it your way. CONTACT US 📲 Text "MOVE" to get started: 916-284-1520 ☎️ Call / Text: 916-284-1520 ✉️ Email: kat@homesbyrichandkat.com 📅 Book a free consultation: https://richandkatsoldthat.com/meetin... 🌐 Website: https://richandkatsoldthat.com DRE# 01193836 | 01186753 Selling first in the Bay Area, Southern California, or another state? We'll connect you with a vetted agent from our network and coordinate both timelines so your equity lands here right when you need it. WHAT WE COVER IN THIS VIDEO 1. How much house can I afford vs. my pre-approval? Your pre-approval is a ceiling, not a budget. Lenders qualify you on gross income. A household earning $150,000 grosses $12,500 a month but may take home closer to $8,500, so a $5,000 approved payment eats nearly 60% of real take-home pay. 2. The hidden costs of buying a home The full payment stack: principal and interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA dues, Mello-Roos or other special assessments, mortgage insurance under 20% down, utilities, and maintenance. Quick rule: at about 6.75%, every $100,000 borrowed costs roughly $650 a month in principal and interest. 3. Property taxes, Mello-Roos, and home insurance Plan on roughly 1.1% of the purchase price per year as a baseline, then pull the actual tax bill, because newer communities can add Mello-Roos. Insurance now varies house by house, especially near the foothills, so get real quotes on the address during your inspection period. 4. Real math at $550K, $650K, and $850K Living in Lincoln A $550K starter or Living in Sacramento with 10% down runs about $3,850 a month before HOA. A $650K Roseville home runs about $4,600, closer to $5,000 with assessments in parts of West Roseville. An $850K move-up in Folsom or El Dorado Hills with 20% down runs about $5,400. The extras added 20 to 30% on top of the mortgage every time. 5. Payment first, price second Decide your all-in monthly number, strip out roughly a quarter for taxes and insurance, and let what's left set your price. A $4,000 all-in budget carries about a $460K loan, which puts a 10% down buyer in the low $500s. 6. Mortgage rates, buydowns, and date the rate Shop multiple lenders. Consider a permanent or 2-1 temporary buydown; builders often fund them on new construction, which can make a new home's payment beat a cheaper resale. Treat a future refinance as a bonus, never a plan, and make sure your rate lock covers your escrow. 7. Your comfort number and your cash number Your comfort number is today's housing cost plus what you could add every month and still live your life. Your cash number covers down payment, closing costs of roughly 2 to 3%, moving, and six months of reserves. When a home fits inside both, that's affordable living in Sacramento. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 - The Payment Nobody Puts in the Listing 2:19 - Pre-Approval Is a Ceiling, Not a Budget 3:19 - Gross vs Net on a $150K Income 5:05 - The Full Monthly Payment Stack 5:53 - Property Taxes and Mello-Roos 6:23 - Home Insurance in 2026 7:18 - HOA, Utilities, PMI, and Maintenance 8:26 - Real Math at $550K, $650K, and $850K 10:08 - Payment First, Price Second 12:17 - Rates, Buydowns, and Date the Rate 14:56 - Your Comfort Number 16:03 - Your Cash Number 17:30 - Next Steps and Selling First Serving Sacramento, Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Loomis, Granite Bay, Auburn, Folsom, El Dorado Hills, and communities across Placer, Sacramento, and El Dorado counties. Rich and Kat Farless | Farless Real Estate Group | eXp Realty of California, Inc. | DRE# 01193836 (Kat) | DRE# 01186753 (Rich). We are real estate agents, not lenders or financial advisors. Payment examples use an illustrative rate of about 6.75% and are estimates only; your rate, taxes, insurance, and assessments will differ. Get exact figures from your lender. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Housing Opportunity. #LivingInSacramento #HowMuchHouseCanIAfford #SacramentoRealEstate