What it actually costs to hold.
Purchase price is the number everyone focuses on. The number that decides whether you keep the place is the monthly one. Adjust the assumptions until they match your situation — every field is editable.
Breckenridge: short-term rental licensing is zone-based with a town-wide cap. Confirm the zone before underwriting rental income.
use your quoted rate
Get this from the HOA's actual financials, not the listing. Ask for the reserve study too.
Leave at zero if the place is purely personal use
Use actual rental history for the specific property, not a projection
Full-service short-term rental management commonly runs well into the twenties or thirties. Lodging taxes, supplies and licensing are additional.
Advanced assumptions
Colorado effective rates are low by national standards but vary by county and district. The county assessor's record is authoritative.
Mountain property is underwritten for wildfire and snow load. Quote the specific address early.
Snow load, freeze-thaw and UV at altitude age a building faster than at sea level.
$8,937
$107,249 per year before rental income
- Principal & interest
- $5,837
- Property tax
- $450
- Insurance
- $550
- Maintenance reserve
- $1,000
- HOA dues
- $850
- Utilities
- $250
- Total monthly cost
- $8,937
Planning estimate only — not a quote, and not investment, tax, or lending advice. Every figure here is an assumption you should replace with a real number during due diligence.
Get real numbers for a specific propertyFour things this number doesn't include
Special assessments
The single biggest surprise in resort condominiums. An underfunded reserve facing roof, envelope or deck work produces an assessment that can run into five or six figures per unit. The reserve study tells you whether one is coming; the monthly dues do not.
Lodging and sales taxes
If you rent short-term, the town and county collect lodging and sales taxes on those stays, plus licensing fees. Management companies usually handle remittance but the cost is yours, and it is not in the management fee above.
Furnishing and setup
A rental-ready furnishing package is a real capital cost in the first ninety days, alongside linens, kitchenware, smart locks and a snow removal contract. Budget for it as part of the purchase, not as an afterthought.
Your own use
Every week you block for yourself is a week that does not earn. In peak season those are the most valuable weeks of the year, which is why aggressive rental projections and heavy personal use rarely coexist.
The management, cleaning and snow-removal side of that number is covered in owner services for out-of-state owners, and whether you can count on rental income at all depends on the town-by-town short-term rental rules.
Frequently asked questions
What do people underestimate most about owning a ski-town second home?+
HOA dues and maintenance. Resort condominium dues fund amenities, shuttles, snow removal and reserve obligations, and they are frequently higher than buyers expect. Mountain properties also age harder than sea-level ones because of snow load, freeze-thaw cycles and UV at altitude, so a maintenance reserve of around one percent of value per year is a realistic planning figure rather than a pessimistic one.
Does rental income actually cover the carrying cost?+
Sometimes, in the strongest rental markets and locations, and rarely at the level owners expect. Management fees, cleaning, supplies, licensing, lodging taxes and the weeks you block for your own use all reduce the number. Underwrite the purchase on what you can afford without rental income, and treat the income as an offset rather than the plan.
How is property tax calculated in Colorado?+
Colorado property tax is based on an assessed value derived from actual value using a residential assessment rate, then multiplied by the local mill levy, which varies by county and district. Effective rates are low relative to most states. This calculator uses a simple effective rate you can adjust; for a specific property, the county assessor's record is the authoritative source.
Why is insurance a separate concern in the mountains?+
Mountain property is underwritten for wildfire exposure, snow load and distance to a responding fire station, and availability across Colorado's high country has tightened. Premiums and even eligibility can differ sharply between two homes on the same road, so quotes should be obtained during your inspection window rather than after closing.
Are these numbers accurate for my property?+
No. This is a planning tool built on adjustable assumptions, not a quote. Real figures come from the specific HOA's financials, the county assessor, an insurance quote on that address, and actual rental history.
Want these numbers for a real property?
Send me an address or a shortlist and I'll replace every assumption above with the HOA's financials, the assessor's record, an insurance quote and real rental history.