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Holding cost calculator

Free holding cost calculator: loan interest, property tax, insurance, utilities, HOA and upkeep per month and for the whole hold, so delays are priced into your offer. Example: with typical numbers the holding cost for 6 months comes to $16,100. Free, no sign-up, every step shown.

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Read the guide: Holding costs on a fix and flip: what each month really costs you →
Holding cost for 6 months$16,100! Every month of delay costs about $2,683. Add a buffer month to your offer.See every number ↓
Interest per month$1,833
Tax and insurance per month$500
Utilities and upkeep per month$350
Holding cost per month$2,683
Each extra month costs$2,683
Holding cost for 6 months$16,100

Every month of delay costs about $2,683. Add a buffer month to your offer.

Run this on a real property

In LeadCounty every property file opens this calculator with the county's value, tax owed and sales already filled in.

One e-mail with your numbers and a link back to this calculator. Nothing else unless you tick the box.
The math, with your numbers
$1,833interest+$500tax + insurance+$350utilities + upkeep×6months=$16,100total
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Get the real numbers for every property, already filled in.

In LeadCounty every property page carries its county record: value, yearly tax and any amount owed, every sale with its price, building facts, the owner and mailing address, and nearby sales (as each county publishes them). The deal calculator on each property uses them. Find the sellers with 37 seller lists, then run the deal in one place. The same calculators also run inside the app.

  • 7-day free trial (the Explore trial needs no card)
  • Refreshed every week from official records
  • No contract, cancel any time

How to use the holding cost calculator

  1. Hard-money loans are usually interest-only: loan × rate ÷ 12 per month.
  2. Add one-twelfth of the yearly tax and a vacant-home or builder's-risk insurance policy, plus utilities and upkeep.
  3. Multiply by the months from purchase to sale, and add one month for surprises.

The formula

Holding cost = (loan interest + tax + insurance + utilities + upkeep) per month × months you own the property.

Worked example

With months held of 6 months, loan amount of $200,000, interest rate of 11%, property tax of $3,600 and insurance (vacant / builder's risk) of $2,400, the holding cost for 6 months is $16,100. Every month of delay costs about $2,683. Add a buffer month to your offer.

Common mistakes

  • Counting only the loan interest and forgetting tax, insurance and utilities.
  • Planning 3 months for a project that usually takes 6.
  • Not adding the cost of a vacant-house insurance policy.
Read the full guideHolding costs on a fix and flip: what each month really costs you

Estimates for planning only, not financial advice.

Questions

Why do holding costs matter so much?

A two-month delay on a $200,000 hard-money flip can cost $5,000–$7,000: often a third of the profit.

Which costs keep running while a house sits empty?

Interest, tax, insurance and utilities. Vacant houses also need lawn care and checks.

What counts as holding costs?

Loan interest, property tax, insurance, utilities and upkeep for every month you own the property.

How long should I plan to hold a flip?

Plan on the realistic project time plus time to sell, and add a buffer. Delays add holding cost every month.

More free calculators

Now find the owner.

Likely vacant houses and 36 more seller lists from county records, refreshed weekly. Tested on real sales: see the proof (/proof).

  • 7 days free
  • Explore: no card
  • Full access: cancel before day 7, pay nothing
  • Max 10 investors per county
Investors, agents, landlords and contractors who use county property data