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Include homeowners association (HOA) dues in your total monthly housing budget, even when the mortgage company bills you separately. Start with the specific property’s current dues, convert quarterly or annual charges to a monthly planning amount, and add that figure to principal and interest, property taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance, utilities, maintenance, repairs and savings for emergencies. HOA charges and the services they cover can change, so treat the figure as a current estimate that must be verified before you buy.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) describes possible dues as ranging from “a few hundred dollars a month to more than one thousand dollars a month.” That is a broad description—not a local average or a prediction for a particular association. The fee for the home you are considering is the number that belongs in your budget.
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Are condo/co-op fees or homeowners’ association dues included in my monthly mortgage payment?
Usually not. HOA or condominium dues are generally paid directly to the association, while your mortgage servicer collects principal and interest and may collect property taxes and homeowners insurance through escrow. The CFPB says a servicer might place association dues in escrow if you request it, but that arrangement is uncommon. Plan as if the HOA will send a separate bill unless your servicer confirms otherwise in writing.
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A mortgage calculator that shows only principal and interest therefore understates the cash you need each month. Even a calculator that displays an estimated “total payment” may not include the association’s bill. The CFPB’s explanation of mortgage payments distinguishes principal and interest from the broader payment that can include mortgage insurance and escrowed taxes and insurance: review the payment components before relying on a quote.
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For household planning, the payment method does not matter. Whether dues are debited by the HOA, collected in escrow or paid through another arrangement, they are a recurring cost of owning that home and belong in the same affordability calculation.
Build the complete monthly housing budget
The CFPB’s budgeting guidance says total monthly home payment includes mortgage principal, interest, property taxes, mortgage insurance, homeowners’ insurance, supplemental insurance and HOA fees. Add costs that do not appear in that payment, such as utilities, maintenance and repairs, so the budget reflects the home rather than just the loan.
| Budget line | What to include | Where to verify it |
|---|---|---|
| Principal and interest | The scheduled mortgage payment for the loan amount, rate and term. | Your lender’s quote and Loan Estimate. |
| Property taxes | The current local tax charge, adjusted for the property’s assessed value and billing schedule. | Tax records, the listing file and the lender’s escrow projection. |
| Homeowners insurance | The policy premium for the property and coverage limits you actually need. | An insurance quote; do not assume the seller’s premium will be yours. |
| Supplemental insurance | Coverage such as flood insurance when the location or lender requires it. | An insurer and the lender’s property requirements. |
| Mortgage insurance | Private mortgage insurance or another loan-specific premium, if applicable. | The Loan Estimate and loan program terms. |
| HOA or condominium dues | The association’s current charge, normalized to a monthly planning figure. | The association, seller, resale package and governing documents. |
| Utilities | Electricity, gas, water, sewer, trash, internet and other services not covered by the association. | Recent bills, utility providers and the association’s service list. |
| Maintenance and repairs | Routine upkeep plus a reserve for unexpected work inside the home and on owner-responsible exterior elements. | Your property inspection, contractor estimates and personal reserve plan. |
Taxes and insurance may be collected in escrow, but escrow does not make them free or optional. The servicer is simply collecting money over time to pay bills that remain your responsibility. Keep every category visible when comparing homes so a low principal-and-interest quote does not hide a higher all-in cost.
Convert the association’s bill to a monthly planning amount
Freddie Mac notes that association fees are commonly billed monthly, quarterly or annually. Convert the actual charge to a monthly equivalent so it can be compared with mortgage and household income figures:
- Monthly billing: use the stated monthly amount.
- Quarterly billing: divide the quarterly amount by three.
- Annual billing: divide the annual amount by twelve.
This is a budgeting conversion, not a legal or lender formula. Keep the original due dates in your cash-flow calendar. A quarterly or annual bill still requires enough money in the account when it arrives, even if your worksheet shows a monthly set-aside.
Ask whether the quoted amount is the regular assessment only. A separate charge may apply for a parking space, storage unit, club membership, insurance deductible, move-in fee or a recently approved project. Also ask whether the association has announced a new rate that has not yet appeared in the listing or seller’s most recent payment record.
Find out what the dues actually cover
There is no standard HOA package. Depending on the community, dues may fund maintenance of common areas, landscaping, trash collection, water and sewer, pest control, exterior building maintenance, security or amenities such as a pool or fitness room. A lower fee may leave you paying more bills yourself; a higher fee may bundle services that would otherwise be separate.
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Use the association’s documents rather than a marketing description. Fannie Mae’s homeowner guidance recommends learning what the HOA provides and how it operates: read the questions it suggests asking. Freddie Mac also lists association fees among the ongoing costs to examine when estimating ownership expenses: review its homeownership-cost categories.
Request these documents and answers
- The current assessment amount and the effective date.
- The billing frequency and payment method.
- A written list of services and utilities included in the assessment.
- The association’s budget and recent financial statements.
- Information about reserve funds and major planned projects.
- Minutes or notices showing approved increases, special assessments or pending disputes.
- Rules that could create additional costs, such as rental restrictions, required maintenance or approval fees.
Have the title company, seller or association identify the documents that govern the property. If the amount in a listing conflicts with the association’s current statement, use the current statement and ask why the figures differ before making an offer.
Use your loan documents to separate escrowed and non-escrowed costs
The Loan Estimate shows the lender’s projected payment and which items are expected to be escrowed. Ask the loan officer to identify each line and then add the HOA amount separately if it is not shown. The CFPB’s Closing Disclosure explainer helps you compare the final terms with the earlier estimate.
- Check the projected principal-and-interest payment.
- Identify estimated property taxes, homeowners insurance and mortgage insurance.
- Look for the escrow section and note which items the servicer will collect.
- Ask explicitly whether HOA or condominium dues are included. Do not infer inclusion from the presence of an escrow account.
- Compare the final figures with the association’s current statement before closing.
Escrow estimates can change after closing when tax assessments or insurance premiums change. Keep a buffer for those adjustments instead of treating the first escrow amount as permanent.
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When two homes have different association charges, use the same categories for both. A consistent comparison prevents a low dues figure from looking attractive simply because utilities, exterior maintenance or amenities are billed separately.
| Comparison question | Home A | Home B |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly principal and interest | Enter the lender’s estimate. | Enter the lender’s estimate. |
| Property taxes | Enter the current monthly equivalent. | Enter the current monthly equivalent. |
| Homeowners and supplemental insurance | Use comparable quotes. | Use comparable quotes. |
| Mortgage insurance | Include if the loan requires it. | Include if the loan requires it. |
| HOA dues | Use the verified monthly equivalent. | Use the verified monthly equivalent. |
| Utilities paid by owner | List services not included by the association. | List services not included by the association. |
| Maintenance and repair reserve | Adjust for the home’s age and owner responsibilities. | Adjust for the home’s age and owner responsibilities. |
| Known changes or special assessments | Record approved or announced amounts. | Record approved or announced amounts. |
Then compare the totals and the payment timing. A monthly assessment and an annual assessment can have the same monthly equivalent but very different effects on your checking account. Compare what each association maintains, too: exterior work included in one community may be an owner expense in another.
Plan for increases, special assessments and irregular bills
Association dues are not fixed for the life of a mortgage. Fannie Mae says dues are likely to increase over time, and Freddie Mac advises owners to account for increases as service costs change. Neither source establishes a universal annual percentage, so do not apply a generic escalation rate and call it a forecast.
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Instead, look for evidence specific to the association:
- Current and prior budgets, if available.
- Reserve-fund balances and the condition of roofs, roads, elevators, exteriors and other shared assets.
- Approved increases and proposed projects.
- Special-assessment notices or pending litigation that could affect the budget.
Maintain a separate cash reserve for irregular association charges. A regular dues payment does not guarantee that the association will never levy a special assessment. Ask the association and the seller to disclose known assessments and their payment schedules, then include any confirmed obligation in your purchase-cost and monthly cash-flow decisions.
Decide whether the home fits your household budget
Affordability depends on more than an HOA-to-income ratio. The CFPB’s affordability guidance points buyers toward a complete assessment of income, debts, savings needs, loan terms and location-specific costs. Its answer to “How can I figure out if I can afford to buy a home and take out a mortgage?” is a planning framework, not a single percentage test: use the CFPB’s affordability questions.
After listing every housing cost, subtract the total from reliable take-home income. Then account for non-housing obligations, planned savings, childcare, transportation, health costs and other goals. Leave room for an emergency fund and repairs. If the budget works only when utilities are unusually low, the HOA never rises or no repair occurs, the home is not comfortably affordable at that price.
There is no official universal percentage of income that should go to HOA dues. The meaningful test is whether the property’s complete and changeable cost fits your household after debts and savings priorities are funded.
A practical worksheet process
- Collect the property-specific assessment. Obtain the latest statement from the association, seller or listing file. Record the amount, frequency, due date and effective date.
- Confirm inclusions. Mark which utilities, maintenance tasks and amenities the assessment covers and which remain your responsibility.
- Normalize the charge. Divide a quarterly amount by three or an annual amount by twelve for monthly planning, while preserving the actual due dates in your cash calendar.
- Enter loan costs. Use the Loan Estimate for principal, interest, mortgage insurance and projected escrowed taxes and insurance.
- Add non-loan costs. Enter HOA dues, utilities, maintenance, repairs and supplemental insurance separately.
- Check for change. Review notices, budgets, reserves, approved increases and special assessments.
- Stress-test the budget. Ask whether an increase, an insurance adjustment or a repair would force you to borrow or stop saving.
- Compare alternatives. Run the same worksheet for each home, using comparable insurance quotes and clearly labeled estimates.
Freddie Mac provides a budget worksheet with separate lines for mortgage or rent, association fees and property taxes. A worksheet organizes decisions; it does not replace verification of the specific property’s charges.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common budgeting mistakes and how to correct them
Counting only principal and interest
Problem: The mortgage calculator’s headline number looks affordable, but taxes, insurance and HOA dues have not been added.
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Correction: Start with the full payment categories and add every separate bill before deciding how much to borrow.
Assuming escrow includes the HOA
Problem: An escrow account is mistaken for a single account that pays every home-related bill.
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Using a listing’s stale fee
Problem: The listing shows an old assessment or omits a recently approved increase.
Correction: Request the current association statement and effective-date notice, then reconcile it with the seller’s disclosures.
Treating included services as guaranteed savings
Problem: A fee appears high or low without checking what it pays for.
Correction: List included services and owner-paid services side by side. Compare the resulting total, not the assessment in isolation.
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Ignoring irregular charges
Problem: The regular monthly amount fits, but an annual bill or special assessment creates a cash shortfall.
Correction: Convert irregular bills to monthly set-asides and keep a separate reserve for confirmed or plausible one-time charges.
Applying a made-up fee-increase percentage
Problem: A generic escalation assumption is presented as a reliable forecast.
Correction: Use the association’s budgets, reserve information and notices. If no forecast is available, acknowledge the uncertainty and retain a buffer.
What the official guidance says
“Your total monthly home payment includes mortgage principal, interest, property taxes, mortgage insurance, homeowner’s insurance, supplementary insurance (such as flood insurance), and homeowners’ association fees.”
That sentence appears in the CFPB’s home-buying budget guidance. It describes the categories to consider, not a personalized affordability limit. The CFPB’s HOA payment FAQ was last reviewed September 11, 2024, and its mortgage-cost FAQ was last reviewed January 14, 2025. Association charges, insurance premiums, tax assessments and escrow practices remain specific to the property, lender and location, so confirm current terms before signing.
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