Actually maintenance and repair can be modelled fairly easily (and as I found out I over modelled it) I used $5&#x2F;sqft&#x2F;year as a maintenance cost. That was based on information from Popular Mechanics on home repairs, a reader&#x27;s digest survey, and a blend of roofing&#x2F;painting&#x2F;carpeting divided by 15 years. For my house at 2500 sq feet that comes out to $12,500 (or about $1000&#x2F;month). Actual costs were closer to $600&#x2F;month but living in California meant things like winter&#x2F;summer cycles are not as hard on the house.<p>I analyzed the cost of moving against the cost of renting it out and buying a new place which has its own interesting quirks. My wife&#x27;s parents did the keep&#x2F;rent the previous house each time you move thing while my parents simply rented until my Dad retired. In retirement my wife&#x27;s parents have a built in cash flow that my parents do not.<p>Insurance has been the most variable with California adding earthquake and flood insurance requirements. As a component of cost has varied the most (it isn&#x27;t included in the $600&#x2F;month which is just maintenance).<p>On the plus side, with California&#x27;s no pre-payment penalty I could always use bonus money to pay down the mortgage which both kept its value in the future and mitigated future interest expense. That was always a better net use of cash funds over a savings account. I&#x27;ve always maintained a line of credit on the house which could allow me to &quot;re-access&quot; that value if something unexpected happened.<p>Not for everyone of course but its a different way of looking at home ownership which isn&#x27;t commonly discussed.