Berkshire Hathaway HomeServicesProfessional Realty · Lindsey Trimm
Step Three — Cost of SittingCarrying Cost Calculator
What is this house costing you right now?
Enter your actual monthly costs below. Every field is pre-filled with current national medians — change any number to match your situation. Results update instantly.
Your Monthly Costs
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The math is unforgiving. Every additional day your home sits unsold is money out of your pocket at closing. An overpriced home that sits 90 days instead of 30 loses two full months of carrying costs — before you factor in the price reduction you will almost certainly need to accept anyway.
Breaking Down the Numbers
Where your monthly housing costs actually go
Most sellers think of their mortgage payment as their monthly cost. The real number is significantly higher — and every component has been rising.
Where your $2,035/month goes — national median (Census Bureau, 2024)
Mortgage principal & interest
~$1,350/mo
Based on median U.S. mortgage at current rates
Property taxes
~$348/mo
National average $4,172/year — up 3.7% in 2025 (ATTOM)
Homeowners insurance
~$208/mo
National average $2,490/year — up 12% in 2025 (Insurify)
Utilities
~$130/mo
Energy costs rose 6.5% year-over-year as of April 2026 (CPI)
+12%
Insurance premiums rose
in 2025 alone. Projected to rise another 4% in 2026.
Insurify, 2025
+3.7%
Property taxes rose
on single-family homes in 2025 — outpacing most wage growth.
ATTOM, 2025
+6.5%
Energy costs rose
year-over-year as of April 2026 — well above overall inflation.
U.S. CPI, April 2026
+3.8%
Total owner costs rose
from 2023 to 2024 — driven by insurance and mortgage costs.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024
Hidden costs now average $21,400 per year beyond the mortgage payment for U.S. homeowners — that is $1,783 per month — according to a 2025 Bankrate study. Real Estate Witch's 2025 data puts the figure even higher at $24,529 per year when maintenance and repairs are included. These costs continue at full rate whether your home is under contract or not.
Northeast Ohio Market Reality
What the local data says about days on market
Understanding how long homes actually sit on the market in Northeast Ohio tells you exactly how much financial exposure you carry as a FSBO seller.
Northeast Ohio Market — Current Conditions (2026)
33 days
Average days on market in Cleveland
Redfin, March 2026
61.5 days
Average days on market statewide in Ohio
Houzeo, 2026
92 days
Total time to sell in Ohio incl. prep & closing
Clever Real Estate, 2026
5.33 mo
Months of housing supply in Ohio — buyers have options
Houzeo, 2026
What 90 days on market actually costs — real numbers
| Home Value | Est. Monthly Cost | Cost per Day | 90 Days on Market Costs You |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 home | $1,650/mo | $55/day | $4,950 |
| $300,000 home | $2,035/mo | $68/day | $6,105 |
| $400,000 home | $2,600/mo | $87/day | $7,800 |
| $500,000 home | $3,200/mo | $107/day | $9,600 |
Estimates based on national median owner costs scaled to home value. Actual costs vary by mortgage balance, tax rate, insurance premium, and utility usage. Use the calculator above to enter your exact numbers.
FSBO homes sit longer. FSBO homes are 9% more likely than agent-listed homes to remain on market for over three months. (Clever Real Estate, 2024). When you combine that with rising carrying costs, every week of extended market time has a measurable dollar cost. The sellers who price correctly from day one and market aggressively across every channel consistently close faster and net more.
The Hidden Cost Nobody Calculates
Your time has a dollar value too.
Carrying costs are only part of the true cost of selling on your own. Selling a home FSBO is a part-time job that runs for 2–4 months. Most sellers never calculate what that time is actually worth.
Where your time goes — realistic FSBO breakdown
Researching pricing and comps
5–10 hrs
Preparing and staging the home
10–20 hrs
Photography coordination
2–4 hrs
Writing and posting listings
3–6 hrs
Responding to inquiries and scheduling
8–15 hrs
Conducting showings and open houses
10–20 hrs
Reviewing and negotiating offers
5–10 hrs
Managing inspections and repairs
5–15 hrs
Coordinating closing and paperwork
5–10 hrs
Total time investment
53–110 hours
Source: Ridley Real Estate Analysis, 2026
Your time — in dollars
At $25/hour
$1,325 – $2,750
At $50/hour
$2,650 – $5,500
At $75/hour
$3,975 – $8,250
At $100/hour
$5,300 – $11,000
This opportunity cost is real money — it does not show up on your closing disclosure, but it comes directly out of the value of your time.
FSBO homes take 3–4 weeks longer to sell than agent-listed homes on average, according to NAR data. Limited market exposure, inconsistent showing availability, and less negotiating experience all contribute. Every extra week is more carrying costs, more of your time, and more days of market stigma building against you.
Source: NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers; Ridley Real Estate Analysis, 2026
What the Research Shows
Verified 2025–2026 data on homeownership costs
$2,035
Median monthly owner costs
Median monthly owner costs for U.S. homeowners with a mortgage in 2024 — up 3.8% from 2023, driven by higher mortgage costs and insurance fees.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, September 2025
+3.7%
Property taxes rose in 2025
The average property tax bill on a single-family home increased 3.7% in 2025 — continuing a multi-year trend that shows no sign of reversing.
Source: ATTOM Real Estate Intelligence, 2025
+12%
Insurance premiums rose in 2025
Average homeowners insurance rose 12% in 2025 and is projected to rise another 4% in 2026. 54% of homeowners report their premiums increased in the past 12 months.
Source: Insurify 2025; NerdWallet 2025 survey
$21,400
Average hidden costs per year
Annual non-mortgage homeownership costs including taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance — up 4.7% from the prior year while household incomes rose only 3.8%.
Source: Bankrate 2025; Zillow/Thumbtack analysis
52%
Felt overwhelmed
of FSBO sellers reported feeling overwhelmed at some point during the process
54%
Wished they used an agent
of FSBO sellers said after closing they wished they had used a real estate agent
47%
Were brought to tears
admitted the FSBO process brought them to tears at least once
43%
Made legal mistakes
reported making at least one legal error during the transaction
These are not failure statistics. They are preparation statistics. The sellers who read this page before they list are the ones who avoid becoming part of them.
Source: Clever Real Estate, 2024; NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
Lindsey Trimm
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Professional Realty
LTrimm@bhhspro.comA Member of the Franchise System of BHHS Affiliates, LLC. Information provided for educational purposes only.
Lindsey Trimm · Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Professional Realty
LTrimm@bhhspro.com · A Member of the Franchise System of BHHS Affiliates, LLC.
LTrimm@bhhspro.com · A Member of the Franchise System of BHHS Affiliates, LLC.