Grand Strand buyer resource · blank worksheet
Compare the whole cost of two homes.
Two asking prices can hide different ownership costs. Put the same questions beside each home, record where each answer came from, and mark what you still need to verify.
How to use this
- Print a blank copy and fill it privately. Nothing is entered into or saved by this site.
- For every line, write the figure and its period, then the document or quote and its date. If unanswered, write unknown rather than zero.
- Keep one-time costs apart from ongoing costs. Ask a lender whether its payment estimate already includes tax or insurance before adding either again.
The two homes
Home A
Property address
Intended use
Home B
Property address
Intended use
Check the parcel and responsible county for each address. A mailing city or community name does not establish municipal jurisdiction or the right tax office.
Ongoing costs
Use a common period before comparing figures. Keep an estimate labeled as an estimate.
Property taxes
Ask the county about this exact property and your intended use. Is the seller's bill based on circumstances that may not apply to you?
Home A
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Home B
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Insurance
Get a property-specific quote. Ask about wind, flood, exclusions, deductibles, and any separate coverage.
Home A
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Home B
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Association dues and assessments
Ask for current documents. What do dues cover, and are there additional or pending assessments?
Home A
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Home B
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Utilities and services
Confirm providers and availability for the exact address. Which services are included in association dues?
Home A
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Home B
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Maintenance and reserves
Record actual inspection findings and estimates. Keep your own planning assumption separate from a documented cost.
Home A
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Home B
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
One-time costs
Do not add a charge here if it is already counted in another written estimate.
Purchase and financing
Compare the written lender information, fees, credits, and cash to close. Ask the lender whether its estimate already includes taxes or insurance so you do not count them twice.
Home A
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Home B
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Closing and move
Keep inspections, closing charges, moving, and immediate work separate from recurring costs. Ask about any association transfer or initiation charges.
Home A
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Home B
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
If either home is new construction
Use the builder's written documents for that home; leave inapplicable rows blank.
Base price, lot, and included items
What is in the written base price? Record any lot premium and what the delivered home actually includes.
Home A
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Home B
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Options, deposits, and later work
Record selected structural or design options, deposits, and work you expect to buy after moving in. Check each item against the builder's documents.
Home A
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Home B
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Written builder credits
If offered, ask which costs a credit covers, when it expires, and whether a lender or closing-provider choice changes it. Leave the amount unknown until documented.
Home A
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Home B
Figure and period
Document or quote / date
Questions still open
A total with unresolved taxes, insurance, assessments, or builder terms is incomplete. Take the written figures and remaining questions to the responsible county office, lender, insurer, association, builder, or qualified professional.