# CandidCost

> Education-only U.S. homebuying tools and data, built entirely on public government sources (CFPB HMDA, Census ACS, FRED, FEMA/NFIP, HUD, IRS, Freddie Mac). Every number carries its source, methodology version, and a ledger receipt. CandidCost takes no lender revenue, sells no leads, and gives no individualized advice. Figures and methodology are free to cite and attribute under CC-BY-4.0.

## Tools (free; every figure sourced)
- [True Cost of Ownership](https://candidcost.com/tools/true-cost): True monthly cost of a home — principal, tax, insurance, PMI, maintenance — versus the lender-approved payment.
- [Affordability & DTI](https://candidcost.com/tools/affordability): The underwriting front-end/back-end ratios behind "how much can I borrow," in plain English.
- [Loan Estimate Decoder](https://candidcost.com/tools/loan-estimate-decoder): Classifies each Section A–C fee (lender / shoppable / pass-through) and flags outliers against HMDA benchmarks.
- [Compare Loan Estimates](https://candidcost.com/tools/loan-estimate-compare): Two or three Loan Estimates side by side, fee by fee, with the charges a lender actually controls.
- [Pressure Check](https://candidcost.com/tools/pressure-check): What overpaying to win costs over the loan versus what walking away risks.
- [Rent vs. Buy](https://candidcost.com/tools/rent-vs-buy): Net cost of owning versus renting over your horizon, with the break-even year.
- [Buy Now vs. Wait](https://candidcost.com/tools/buy-now-vs-wait): Tomorrow's price and rate against the rent you'd pay and the savings you'd add.
- [Buydown vs. Price Cut](https://candidcost.com/tools/buydown-vs-price-cut): A seller credit spent on a rate buydown versus a price reduction, total interest included.
- [Credit-Band Cost](https://candidcost.com/tools/credit-band-cost): What each credit-score band adds, straight from Fannie Mae's published price-adjustment (LLPA) matrix.
- [Year-2 Payment Shock](https://candidcost.com/tools/payment-shock): Why the payment jumps in year two: escrow re-sizing plus county reassessment at your price.

## State data
- [Cost of owning a home, by state](https://candidcost.com/cost): true monthly cost plus median HMDA closing costs for all 50 states + DC.
- [Fee & Rate Index](https://candidcost.com/fee-rate-index): median closing costs and rate spreads by state and loan size, from CFPB HMDA (cells with fewer than 25 loans suppressed).
- [Property tax by state](https://candidcost.com/data/property-tax-by-state): effective rates and median annual tax, from Census ACS.
- [Homeowners insurance by state](https://candidcost.com/data/homeowners-insurance-by-state): average annual premiums, from NAIC.
- [Flood claims by state](https://candidcost.com/data/flood-claims-by-state): NFIP claims on record, from FEMA.
- [Down payment assistance directory](https://candidcost.com/down-payment-assistance): source-linked public programs with last-verified dates.

## Guides (plain-English; each a direct, sourced answer)
- [What are closing costs when buying a house?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-are-closing-costs)
- [How do I read a Loan Estimate?](https://candidcost.com/learn/how-to-read-a-loan-estimate)
- [How do I compare two Loan Estimates?](https://candidcost.com/learn/compare-loan-estimates)
- [What is the true monthly cost of owning a home?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-the-true-cost-of-owning)
- [What is earnest money and is it refundable?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-earnest-money)
- [What is the difference between interest rate and APR?](https://candidcost.com/learn/interest-rate-vs-apr)
- [What are mortgage discount points and are they worth it?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-are-discount-points)
- [How are mortgage rates set?](https://candidcost.com/learn/how-mortgage-rates-are-set)
- [What is a mortgage rate lock?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-a-rate-lock)
- [What is the difference between FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional loans?](https://candidcost.com/learn/fha-va-usda-conventional)
- [How much do I need for a down payment?](https://candidcost.com/learn/how-much-down-payment)
- [What is PMI and when can I remove it?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-pmi)
- [What is down payment assistance and how do I qualify?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-down-payment-assistance)
- [Am I being rushed into buying a house?](https://candidcost.com/learn/am-i-being-rushed)
- [Should I rent or buy a house?](https://candidcost.com/learn/should-i-rent-or-buy)
- [What are the steps to buying a house?](https://candidcost.com/learn/home-buying-steps)
- [What is a home appraisal and who pays for it?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-an-appraisal)
- [What is the difference between a Loan Estimate and a Closing Disclosure?](https://candidcost.com/learn/closing-disclosure-vs-loan-estimate)
- [What is an escrow account on a mortgage?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-escrow)
- [How do property taxes work when you own a home?](https://candidcost.com/learn/property-taxes-explained)
- [Why did my mortgage payment jump in the second year?](https://candidcost.com/learn/year-2-payment-shock)
- [What is title insurance and do I need it?](https://candidcost.com/learn/title-insurance-explained)
- [What credit score do I need to buy a house?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-credit-score-to-buy)
- [What is a debt-to-income ratio and why does it matter?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-debt-to-income)
- [What help is available for first-time homebuyers?](https://candidcost.com/learn/first-time-homebuyer)
- [What is cash to close and how is it different from closing costs?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-cash-to-close)
- [What are mortgage origination fees?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-are-origination-fees)
- [What are prepaid items and escrow deposits at closing?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-are-prepaid-items)
- [What are seller concessions and how do they work?](https://candidcost.com/learn/seller-concessions-explained)
- [What is the difference between a fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgage?](https://candidcost.com/learn/fixed-vs-adjustable-rate)
- [How does an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) work?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-an-arm)
- [What is the difference between a conforming loan and a jumbo loan?](https://candidcost.com/learn/conforming-vs-jumbo-loans)
- [What is a prepayment penalty on a mortgage?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-a-prepayment-penalty)
- [When does it make sense to refinance a mortgage?](https://candidcost.com/learn/when-to-refinance)
- [What is home equity and how does a HELOC work?](https://candidcost.com/learn/home-equity-and-heloc)
- [What is a reverse mortgage?](https://candidcost.com/learn/reverse-mortgage-basics)
- [Can I use gift money for a down payment?](https://candidcost.com/learn/gift-funds-down-payment)
- [How can I save for a down payment?](https://candidcost.com/learn/saving-for-a-down-payment)
- [What is the difference between borrower-paid and lender-paid PMI?](https://candidcost.com/learn/lender-paid-vs-borrower-paid-pmi)
- [What is mortgage pre-approval and how is it different from pre-qualification?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-pre-approval)
- [What is a home inspection and is it required?](https://candidcost.com/learn/home-inspection-explained)
- [What happens at a mortgage closing?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-happens-at-closing)
- [What happens if the appraisal comes in low?](https://candidcost.com/learn/appraisal-gap-explained)
- [How do I shop for and compare mortgage lenders?](https://candidcost.com/learn/how-to-shop-for-a-mortgage)
- [What are contingencies in a home purchase contract?](https://candidcost.com/learn/contingencies-explained)
- [What does homeowners insurance cover and is it required?](https://candidcost.com/learn/homeowners-insurance-explained)
- [Do I need flood insurance and how do I get it?](https://candidcost.com/learn/flood-insurance-explained)
- [Can I deduct mortgage interest on my taxes?](https://candidcost.com/learn/mortgage-interest-deduction)
- [Can I pay my own property taxes and insurance instead of using escrow?](https://candidcost.com/learn/can-i-waive-escrow)
- [What are HOA fees and how do they affect buying?](https://candidcost.com/learn/hoa-fees-explained)
- [How can I improve my credit before buying a home?](https://candidcost.com/learn/improve-credit-before-buying)
- [What do mortgage lenders look for when approving a loan?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-lenders-look-for)
- [What are my fair-lending rights when applying for a mortgage?](https://candidcost.com/learn/fair-lending-your-rights)
- [What is a mortgage servicer and can it change?](https://candidcost.com/learn/what-is-a-mortgage-servicer)
- [What is mortgage forbearance?](https://candidcost.com/learn/mortgage-forbearance-explained)
- [What should you know before buying a home with a partner, friend, or family member?](https://candidcost.com/learn/buying-a-home-with-others)
- [What is the difference between a co-borrower and a co-owner?](https://candidcost.com/learn/co-borrower-vs-co-owner)
- [How can co-buyers hold title — joint tenancy vs. tenants in common?](https://candidcost.com/learn/how-to-hold-title-with-a-co-buyer)
- [What happens if one co-owner wants out of the home?](https://candidcost.com/learn/co-buying-exit-and-buyout)
- [What should co-buyers agree on before buying a home together?](https://candidcost.com/learn/the-co-buying-conversation)
- [How do I know if a house will stay insurable — and affordable to insure?](https://candidcost.com/learn/will-this-house-stay-insurable)

## Open data & API (machine-readable, attributable)
- [For AI and developers](https://candidcost.com/for-agents): MCP and REST tools; every response carries its citations, methodology version, and ledger receipt.
- MCP endpoint (streamable HTTP, POST): https://candidcost.com/api/mcp
- Tool discovery (JSON, GET): https://candidcost.com/api/agent
- Open datasets (CSV or JSON): [property-tax](https://candidcost.com/api/data/property-tax), [insurance](https://candidcost.com/api/data/insurance), [flood-claims](https://candidcost.com/api/data/flood-claims)

## Methodology & trust
- [How we know](https://candidcost.com/how-we-know): sourcing tiers, suppression (n<25), staleness flags, and the append-only, externally anchored methodology ledger.
- [About](https://candidcost.com/about)
- [Terms](https://candidcost.com/terms)

## Notes
- Spanish versions are available under /es (for example, https://candidcost.com/es/cost).
- Attribution: cite "CandidCost" alongside the linked public source. Figures and methodology are CC-BY-4.0.