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For many, buying a home represents a major milestone. But while a mortgage is often the focus, the actual cost of homeownership extends well beyond your monthly payments. From property taxes to routine maintenance and unexpected repairs, the hidden costs of owning a home can add up quickly, catching new homeowners off guard.
A recent Zillow study found that the average homeowner pays around $1,180 in hidden monthly costs—just over $14,000 annually. Understanding these hidden costs, especially for first-time home buyers, can help you better understand your budget and avoid surprises.
As you shop for your next home, consider some of the hidden costs of homeownership.
Property taxes are one of the biggest costs of homeownership. These can vary widely depending on where you live. For example, the US's national average property tax rate is about 1.1% of a home's assessed value (about $4,000 annually on a home with an assessed value of $365,000). But residents of some states may pay more than double that amount each year.
However, property taxes aren't fixed costs. If property values in your area rise over time, it's very likely your property taxes will, too. Homebuyers should account for these potential costs. In 2023, the average property tax on a single-family home increased by 4.1% from 2022.
Another often overlooked cost for homeowners is maintenance and repairs. Even well-maintained homes face unexpected repair needs. Experts recommend budgeting 1% to 4% of a home's value for upkeep. Others also recommend an additional 1% to 3% emergency fund for home repairs, which can easily run into the thousands, depending on the issue.
Home maintenance includes everything from routine HVAC checkups to yard care, which can help avoid more expensive repairs in the future. Zillow found the average homeowner maintenance cost for routine essential projects can be $6,400 annually.
Even with a newly purchased home, you may need to budget for replacing appliances. This could be included in your general repairs or maintenance budget, but sometimes, an appliance needs to be replaced or upgraded sooner rather than later. Nearly 50% of homeowners have replaced a major appliance after moving in.
Having your home inspected can help you determine which appliances may need replacing so you can negotiate the costs and plan for them in your budget.
Another hidden cost of homeownership is homeowners insurance. Mortgage lenders often require this insurance, but the costs can vary depending on where you live and the size of your home. The average annual homeowners coverage costs about $2,400.
As with property insurance, homeowners coverage isn't always fixed. Places prone to more natural disasters, like Florida, Louisiana and Oklahoma, or those that live in coastal areas and need additional flood insurance, may see much steeper rates in insurance costs year over year.
AAA insurance advisors can conduct a free review of your current home, auto and life insurance to help ensure you have protection that’s right for you and are getting all the discounts you qualify for..
Learn moreAs homes age or new homeowners look to customize the space, renovations may become a priority. Whether it's updating or renovating a bathroom or adding a new living space, these costs can add up.
Home renovation costs can vary widely depending on the project. Estimates suggest that the average homeowner can pay as little as $3,000 for a renovation and as much as $187,000 (or more) on the high end. However, the average home renovation costs about $52,000.
For homes in specific communities, homeowners association fees (HOAs) contribute to some of the hidden costs of buying a home. These fees are often required for properties in planned developments or condos and cover the maintenance of shared spaces, amenities and services like security or landscaping.
About 56% of homeowners pay HOA fees, and about half of those report paying at least $300 monthly. However, costs can be higher or lower depending on the amenities. In addition to monthly feels, some HOAs may charge special assessments for big projects, such as roof replacements or other major repairs.
Utility bills are another ongoing expense that can surprise some new homeowners. Costs for electricity, sewer, water, heating, cooling, internet and garbage removal (in some areas) can add up. If you’ve lived in a smaller space or an apartment where some of these costs may have been included in the rent, you may forget to account for the changes.
On average, Americans spend about $400 per month on various utilities. However, actual costs of these services depend on the size of your home, location and heating and cooling needs.
Decorating your new home can be exciting, especially if you move into a larger space or want to upgrade your furniture. However, furniture and decor come with unexpected costs for many homeowners. It may cost as little as a few thousand to upgrade your decor or tens of thousands if you start from scratch.
First, you need to transport what you have to your new home. Local moves with professional movers can range from under $1,000 to about $1,500, with longer distances being as much as triple the cost. A moving container pod is also an option, but these also depend on the size of your move and the distance. Costs could run from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, overall.
In addition to the major expenses of home ownership, plenty of smaller, unexpected costs can catch homeowners off guard.
Some include:
The costs of these vary depending on various factors, but you could estimate the annual cost of each at anywhere from a few hundred to a couple of thousand dollars.
While there are plenty of hidden costs of homeownership once you own the home, there are several upfront costs to be aware of during the buying process.
These are often overlooked but can add to the total expense.
Homeownership can be a wonderful thing, but it comes with some hidden costs that go beyond your monthly mortgage payment. From maintenance to unexpected repairs, these expenses can add up. Planning ahead and budgeting for these costs can help ensure you're financially prepared.
AAA Banking can help you get more from every dollar with great rates on financing and accounts that earn you interest.
This information is being provided for general informational purposes only. The Auto Club Group does not assume any liability in connection with providing this information.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
We may change APRs, fees, and other Account terms in the future based on your experience with ACG Card Services and its affiliates as provided under the Cardmember Agreement and applicable law.
1Cash back can be redeemed in the form of a statement credit or ACH deposit ($25 cash back minimum redemption). Cash back is not earned on business related transactions or activities. You may not redeem cash back, and you will immediately lose all of your cash back, if your account is closed to future transactions (including, but not limited to, due to Program misuse, failure to pay, bankruptcy, or death). Cash back will expire at 11:00 p.m. Central Time on the last day of the calendar quarter that is five (5) years from the date on which they are earned. Account must be open and in good standing to earn and redeem rewards and benefits. Upon approval, please refer to your Cardmember Agreement for additional information. Cash back is earned on eligible net purchases. Net purchases are purchases minus credits and returns. Not all transactions are eligible to earn cash back, such as Advances, Balance Transfers, and Convenience Checks and other advance transactions as defined in the Cardmember Agreement, as well as interest charges and fees do not qualify. U.S. Bank cannot control how merchants classify their business or transactions and reserves the right to determine which Purchases will qualify in which category. Earn 2% per dollar for qualifying net purchases made with the card through any participating AAA Club when AAA is the merchant of record, on qualifying net insurance purchases (MCC = 6300) and at eligible retail travel merchants. AAA Clubs located in Northern California, Nevada and Utah are not participating AAA Clubs and purchases made at those clubs will not qualify for 2%. Earn 4% per dollar for qualifying net purchases on AAA purchases, travel and insurance for your first 6 months up to $6,000. After that, earn cash back in the standard 2% category. Foreign Transaction Fee: None.
2 Benefits are subject to terms, conditions, and limitations on the amount of coverage. Travel and Emergency Assistance Services help in coordinating medical, legal and travel services while away from home. Rental Collision Damage Waiver coverage and peace of mind for damage due to collision or theft of most rental cars. Certain terms and conditions apply. Please refer to your Visa Guide to Benefits for details
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This card is issued by U.S. Bank NA dba ACG Card Services, pursuant to a license from Visa USA Inc. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender
†Annual Percentage Rate (APR). Auto Loans. Rates and terms effective as of 3/7/2025. APR is accurate as of 3/7/2025. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without prior notice. Additional terms and restrictions may apply. Other loan rates available. Subject to borrower qualification. Advertised rate includes a 0.25% discount when you set up automatic payments from any checking or savings account. Rate is variable. Offer valid on personal vehicle loans only. Criteria to receive the stated APR: Loan term 48 months or less new or used, model years 2019 – 2025 with a credit score of 740 or higher based on the Vantage scoring model. Buyer is responsible for all state or local fees. AAA Banking uses a managed credit program, and final APR is dependent on your credit score. An auto loan with an APR of 5.24% for a $20,000 loan at a term of 48 months, your estimated monthly payment would be $463. An auto loan with an APR of 5.49% for a $20,000 loan at a term of 48 months, your estimated payment would be $465. Private party sales will not be financed. Auto loans are offered by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.
§ Auto Loan Calculator
The figures entered on the input page of this calculator are for hypothetical purposes only. You should enter figures that are appropriate to your individual situation. The results provided by this calculator are also intended for illustrative purposes only and accuracy is not guaranteed. This calculator is not intended to offer any tax, legal, financial or investment advice and does not assure the availability of or your eligibility for any specific product offered, nor does this calculator predict or guarantee the actual results of any product. The terms and conditions of products offered will differ and may affect the results of the calculator. Please consult with qualified professionals to discuss your situation. The final APR may differ from the APR in the above results due to additional fees that may be applicable.
3Triple Advantage Savings Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of 4/1/2025. The minimum amount to open an account is $100.00. Triple Advantage Savings Account Holders can earn the following Annual Percentage Yield (APY): 3.50% APY with Eligible AAA Membership and 3.15% APY without eligible AAA membership.* Deposit products are offered by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.
4Triple Advantage Savings account holders with a monthly average balance of $25,000.00 or greater receive free outgoing domestic wire transfers. Triple Advantage Savings account holders with a monthly average balance of $24,999.99 or less will be charged a $10 fee for each domestic outgoing wire transfer.
5Triple Advantage Certificate of Deposit (CD) Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of 4/14/2025. The minimum deposit to open an account is $500. 4.25% APY applies to a 6-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. 4.20% APY applies to a 9-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. 4.10% APY applies to a 12-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. 3.95% APY applies to an 18-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. 3.75% APY applies to a 24-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. 3.50% APY applies to a 36, 48, and 60-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. CDs are opened and interest begins on the day the funding deposit is received. The interest rate and APY are fixed for the term of the CD. The APY assumes interest remains on deposit until maturity. Withdrawal of interest before maturity will reduce earnings. A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. Fees may reduce earnings on the account. Deposit products are offered by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.
Early Withdrawal Penalties
An early withdrawal penalty will apply if you withdraw funds before the maturity date. For terms of 6 to 12 months, the penalty is 90 days of interest. For terms of 13 to 60 months, the penalty is 180 days of interest. In accordance with Regulation D, a minimum penalty of 7 days’ simple interest will apply to withdrawals made within 6 days of deposit or within 6 days of a previous withdrawal.
6Triple Advantage Checking Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of 4/1/2025. The minimum amount to open an account is $100.00. Triple Advantage Checking Account Holders can earn the following Annual Percentage Yield (APY): 1.00% APY with eligible AAA membership and 0.75% APY without eligible AAA membership.* Deposit products are offered by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.
7Cash Back rewards offer 1.00% cash back on all qualified purchases made by eligible Triple Advantage Checking account holders with an eligible AAA membership.* To qualify for cash back, Triple Advantage Checking account holders must meet all requirements and a transaction must be deemed as a qualified purchase.
Qualified purchases are signature-based purchases made with a AAA Banking debit card from a Triple Advantage Checking Account. To make a signature-based purchase, select “credit” rather than debit at point-of-sale kiosks. The “credit” option is most often pre-selected when making purchases online using a debit card. Online subscription payments may not be considered signature-based purchases. The payment transaction type (signature-based or other) is ultimately decided by the merchant and how the transaction is transmitted to AAA Banking at the time of processing. AAA Banking reserves the right to determine if a transaction was a qualified purchase, and to establish additional types of qualified purchases that could be made available in a variety of ways. Any goods or services purchased with the debit card that are returned or otherwise credited to the account are not qualified purchases. Unlawful purchases and purchases of currency, cash or cash equivalents (including, without limitation, currency from the U.S. Mint, travelers cheques, gift cards, cryptocurrency, casino chips, peer-to-peer payments, prepaid debit cards, account openings, loan payments, or other cash equivalents) made with a debit card are not qualified purchases. Documentation may be required to validate that certain purchases are qualified purchases. If you or AAA Banking closes the account for any reason before the end of the statement cycle, you will forfeit all rewards accrued through your linked debit card during that statement cycle. The AAA Banking Visa® debit card is issued by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa is accepted.
Important Tax Information
The value of this reward may constitute taxable income and may be reported to the Internal Revenue Service as miscellaneous income to the first signer on the account, in the year received, as required by applicable law. Offer is limited to clients who are citizens of the United States that furnish or have a valid Form W-9 on file and the account must not be subject to backup withholding.You may be issued an Internal Revenue Service Form 1099 (or other appropriate form) to you that reflects the value of such reward. Please consult your tax adviser, as AAA Banking does not provide tax advice.
*Eligible AAA Membership Definition: you must be a "Basic," "Plus," or "Premier" member of AAA - The Auto Club Group (ACG). ACG serves households in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Applicants must be 18+ and a U.S. resident. Other AAA memberships are not eligible.
AAA-Member Verification & Product Eligibility
By applying for a AAA Banking deposit account, you acknowledge and agree that if you select a AAA-member product, your AAA membership status with Auto Club Group (ACG) will be validated at the time of account opening and periodically thereafter. If your AAA membership cannot be validated or your membership status changes, your account may be moved to a non-member product with different terms, including but not limited to a lower Annual Percentage Yield (APY) and the removal of other AAA member-only benefits. If this occurs, you will receive a notification regarding the change in the product and applicable terms. If you believe your AAA Membership status was incorrectly validated or that you have been placed in the incorrect product, please contact us to review and correct your status.
Products are offered by Grasshopper Bank, N.A.. Equal Credit Opportunity Lender.
Member FDIC
