Principal
The part that reduces what you owe. Early in a typical fixed-rate loan, this is smaller than the interest portion.
House math,
without the open-house optimism.
Estimate the whole monthly payment—not just the loan. Add property taxes, homeowners insurance, HOA dues, and PMI so the number feels closer to real life.
Your numbers stay in this browser. Nothing is uploaded, saved to an account, or sent to a lender. The estimate updates as you type.
Estimated monthly payment
30-year loan · $320,000 borrowed at 6.50%
- Principal & interest
- $2,023
- Property taxes
- $400
- Homeowners insurance
- $150
- HOA dues
- $0
- PMI
- $0
Loan amount$320,000
Total interest$408,142
Principal + interest$728,142
Down payment$80,000
Estimate only. It does not include closing costs, utilities, maintenance, flood insurance, mortgage insurance paid upfront, or lender-specific fees.
03
See the balance come down
This annual view includes principal and interest only. Taxes, insurance, HOA dues, and PMI are not loan balance payments.
| Year | Principal | Interest | Ending balance |
|---|
What the number means01 02 03
A mortgage payment has layers.
Interest
The lender’s charge for the loan. A small rate change can make a large difference over 15 or 30 years.
Escrow and extras
Property taxes and homeowners insurance are often collected monthly. HOA dues and PMI may be separate, but they still affect the household budget.
Straight answers
U.S. mortgage calculator questions.
Is this the exact payment a lender will quote?
No. It is a planning estimate based on the numbers you enter. Lenders may use different tax, insurance, escrow, PMI, fee, and rounding assumptions.
What does principal and interest mean?
Principal repays the amount borrowed. Interest is the cost charged by the lender. For a fixed-rate mortgage, their combined scheduled payment generally stays level while the split changes over time.
When should I enter PMI?
PMI commonly applies to some conventional loans with less than 20% down, but pricing depends on the loan and borrower. Enter a real monthly quote when you have one; the calculator does not invent a rate.
Does the total interest include taxes and insurance?
No. Total interest only measures interest paid on the mortgage. Property taxes, insurance, HOA dues, and PMI appear in the monthly estimate but are not part of the loan payoff.
Does HandyPebble save my home price or loan information?
No. The calculation runs locally in this browser. The page does not save these entries to an account or send them to a lender.
Can I use this for an adjustable-rate mortgage?
Not accurately. This version assumes one fixed interest rate for the full term. Adjustable-rate mortgages can change after their initial period and need a calculator built for that loan structure.