Start with the full Seattle ownership budget
The worked example uses a $900,000 purchase, $180,000 down, 6.5% interest and 30 years. Annual tax of $8,400 and insurance of $1,800 are illustrative allowances, with no HOA or mortgage insurance entered. They are not Seattle price, tax or insurance estimates. Replace them with the actual property’s figures and add dues if relevant. Keep utilities, maintenance and reserves outside the loan payment; a manageable note payment is not a complete household budget.
Put this into my plan ↗Open the original market report before reading a headline
Seattle city, King County and the wider Northwest MLS service area describe different populations. Use the original September 2026 NWMLS report, dated October 6, to choose the geographic and property-type series you need. Bring property-specific comparables into your decision instead of treating a regional headline as the price of one home or a prediction. Keep the report period beside any observation you use. Read the original NWMLS snapshot ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Locate the parcel and its actual tax bill
King County provides an official property-tax lookup. Match the correct parcel and tax year before entering an annual figure. A listing’s displayed monthly amount may have a different date or scope from the bill you need. Ask the closing and tax professionals about the buyer’s expected recurring charge, any outstanding items and settlement adjustments. The calculator spreads your entered annual amount across twelve months; it does not assess the property or determine exemptions. King County property-tax service ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Treat a condominium as a building decision too
Request the association’s current resale information, budget, reserves, assessments, insurance and relevant meeting records before relying on the advertised dues. Washington’s common-interest statutes provide a legal reference, but the applicable law and the transaction’s actual documents require professional review. This guide does not decide a cancellation deadline, waive a document right or determine a project’s lender eligibility. Keep unresolved building questions visible alongside the unit’s attractive features. Washington common-interest statutes ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Separate dues, installments and future assessments
For a Seattle condo, enter ordinary monthly dues separately from a known assessment and its actual payment calendar. A reserve contribution already included in dues must not be added again as a second recurring charge. Use the condo model to compare an upfront assessment with documented installments, while keeping a separate cash buffer. Unknown repairs, dues increases and assessments are uncertainties to investigate, not zero-cost promises. The model does not perform an association reserve study.
Put this into my plan ↗Ask about flood and earthquake coverage separately
Washington’s insurance commissioner explains that ordinary home policies usually exclude flood damage, and the state’s geological guidance flags earthquake preparation. Obtain the actual policy terms, premium and deductibles for the property and any additional coverage you are considering. A hazard map or an annual insurance allowance cannot establish coverage or make a home risk-free. Keep a deductible and emergency-cash plan separate from the routine monthly premium. State flood-insurance guidance ↗ Washington earthquake guidance ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Research the site as well as the structure
Seattle’s property-research tools include zoning, overlays and site information. For a property with unusual terrain or a planned project, ask which records and professional site investigations are relevant. Review official documents with the people qualified to interpret them; a general map layer cannot establish the safety or buildability of a particular parcel. Carry any confirmed investigation or project costs into a separate cash plan before counting future space or income. Seattle property research ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Distinguish Seattle city assistance from a wider program
The Seattle Office of Housing describes assistance delivered through partner organizations, with city-limit and household requirements. Use the current program’s written criteria and the property’s actual location. A Seattle-area postal description does not prove a home is inside the city boundary. This workspace does not calculate eligibility or add a program award to your down payment. Ask the program to confirm education, funding, property selection and borrower requirements before relying on assistance. Seattle homebuyer assistance ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Read Washington program terms before modeling the benefit
The Washington State Housing Finance Commission’s Here to Home site publishes its homeownership programs, education and assistance resources. Compare a documented program offer with your unassisted scenario. Ask about the first mortgage, any second mortgage, current pricing and what must be paid on sale or refinance. The Commission’s public program resources are not a MITEY partnership or a reservation of funding for you. Enter actual terms rather than a remembered program percentage. WSHFC Here to Home ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Verify the use you are planning to finance
Use Seattle’s permit and site-history resources to investigate an addition, conversion or other intended use. Check the current zoning information and the record’s status, rather than assuming a past application is an approval. The presence of an extra kitchen, separate entrance or marketing description does not establish an authorized dwelling or rental. Obtain the appropriate authority’s answer and a realistic cost/schedule before including a project in a construction or investment budget. Seattle permit and site history ↗
Put this into my plan ↗Compare the cost of staying flexible
Run rent-versus-buy with your own rent, ownership costs, transaction charges, investment assumptions and intended holding period. Enter a home-value downside case as well as a flat case. Then compare actual written loan quotes over that same horizon, with points and fees included. Moving sooner than expected can change the outcome even when a monthly payment looks affordable. These are scenarios for weighing trade-offs, not a forecast of Seattle prices or investment returns.
Put this into my plan ↗Bring the whole question to MITEY
Tell MITEY whether you are buying, refinancing, evaluating a condo or exploring an investment. Keep the parcel, association and program questions with the numbers. Sharing a calculator scenario requires your separate choice, and a provider introduction requires confirmed availability and your permission. There is no public assigned individual. Ask for a clear review of the options and costs; an enquiry is not a credit decision or a guaranteed-rate offer.
Put this into my plan ↗