Mortgages
What a mortgage calculator leaves out
Last updated 16 October 2026
A repayment figure is only part of the cost of owning. Add stamp duty, legal fees, mortgage protection, home insurance, property tax and any management fees.
A mortgage calculator turns a loan, a rate and a term into a monthly repayment. That's the biggest cost of buying, but not the only one, and a lender's figure can differ from an online calculator's for good reasons.
Why your lender's figure may differ
- the rate offered depends on your loan-to-value and can change before drawdown; the offer letter must say so
- an introductory or fixed rate ends and a different rate applies for the rest of the term
- the term may be shorter if the lender requires the loan to be repaid by a certain age
- calculators differ in rounding and in when the first payment falls
Under the Central Bank's Consumer Protection Regulations, a lender's calculator must show the total cost of the loan. It must also warn you to consider the total cost, including any incentive.
Up-front costs
For a €380,000 second-hand home with a 10% deposit:
| Deposit | €38,000.00 |
| Stamp duty at 1% | €3,800.00 |
| Legal fees, Land Registry and searches | Quote |
| Lender fees, valuation, own survey | Quote |
| Up-front, before quotes | €41,800.00 |
Ongoing costs
| Mortgage repayment (€342,000, 30 years, 3.8%) | €1,593.57 |
| Local Property Tax in Kildare, per month | €30.53 |
| Mortgage protection insurance | Quote |
| Home insurance | Quote |
| Management fees for an apartment or managed estate | If any |
| Monthly, before quotes | €1,624.10 |
Over the full term the loan costs €573,687.81 in repayments if the rate never changes. According to Citizens Information, lenders must make sure you have mortgage protection cover, though you needn't buy it from them. Most lenders also insist on home insurance. Both are worth shopping around for.
Costs of keeping the home
Repairs and upkeep don't appear in any calculator. Nor does the cost of moving when the time comes. See the cost of moving house and stamp duty.
Work it out
- Mortgage repayments and amortisation →
- What moving house costs →
- Stamp duty and property tax on a purchase →
Sources
- Revenue: Stamp Duty and property: rates (1% / 2% / 6% residential, 7.5% non-residential, 15% s.31E) (checked 25/10/2026)
- Revenue: LPT valuation bands and rates 2026–2030, and 2026 local adjustment factors (checked 25/10/2026)
- Central Bank of Ireland: Mortgage measures (loan-to-income 4x / 3.5x, deposits 10% / 30%) (checked 24/10/2026)
General information, not tax advice. HeyPenny is not a tax agent.