Home Showdown
Torn between two homes? Put them on paper.
One home usually wins the spreadsheet while the other wins your gut. This walks you through both — the real monthly cost, the Utah costs nobody lists, and what actually matters to you — then lays it all out side by side.
The two homes
Rough numbers are fine. You can change anything later.
Utah details
Utah details
What matters most to you?
Slide each one. Be honest — this is what the score is built on.
How does each home score?
1 is poor, 5 is excellent. Go with your first instinct.
| Priority | Home A | Home B |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly payment comfort | ||
| Space & layout | ||
| Location & commute | ||
| Condition & fewer projects | ||
| Yard & land | ||
| How it feels to walk in |
The gut check
Imagine your agent calls tomorrow: one of these just sold to someone else.
Which one would leave a sinking feeling in your stomach?
The side-by-side
These two are a genuine tie on what you said matters. Let the monthly payment and your gut check break it.
Home A
60/100
Fit score
$3,358 /mo
Est. monthly payment
Home B
60/100
Fit score
$3,712 /mo
Est. monthly payment
| Price | $475,000 | $525,000 |
| Price / sq ft | $216 | $239 |
| Beds / Baths | 4 / 2 | 4 / 2 |
| Enough parking for you? | Yes — all 2 of your cars fit | Yes — all 2 of your cars fit |
| Enough parking for a party? | 2 more cars — Some friends circle the block | 2 more cars — Some friends circle the block |
| Principal & interest | $3,002 | $3,318 |
| Property taxes | $218 | $241 |
| Insurance (est.) | $139 | $153 |
| HOA | $0 | $0 |
| Utah running costs | $0 | $0 |
| Upkeep to set aside | $396 | $438 |
| Commute cost / year | $6,164 | $6,164 |
| Cash to get started | $23,750 | $26,250 |
Over five years, the monthly difference adds up to about $21,211 in favor of Home A.
Estimates only, for planning. Utah running costs are rough averages: about $45/mo for culinary-only lawn watering, $35/mo septic reserve, $25/mo well reserve. Upkeep assumes 1% of price per year (more for pre-1990 homes). Commute uses $0.67/mile at about a mile a minute. Get a Loan Estimate from a lender for real numbers.
Still stuck?
Sometimes you need someone to walk both with you.
I'll look at both homes with you — the things a listing never mentions — and tell you honestly which one I'd pick.
Help me decide