There’s nothing quite like planning your monthly housing costs... only to discover that you forgot to include some sneaky fees. Here are the costs that you need to plan for as a home buyer.

-Property taxes: Paid to your local government, property taxes are usually a percentage of your home’s value and help fund schools, roads and other public services.

-Homeowners insurance: Your home is a major investment, so you’ll want to protect it with homeowners insurance. If you have a mortgage, this will typically be required by your lender.

-Condo fees: Cost of maintaining the common elements in the condo such as hallway, elevators, amenities, etc.

-Utilities: As a homeowner, you’ll have to cover it all: water, gas, electric, hot water tank rental, internet, etc. This can add up fast, so make sure to ask about average utility costs as you’re viewing homes.

-Maintenance: As a new homeowner, you get to pay for all of the fun maintenance and repairs. Plan to spend 1-3% of your home’s value on maintenance each year.

Once you plan these costs into your monthly budget, you’ll be prepared for whatever your home throws at you.