What $225,000 of mortgage really costs
A $225,000 loan is squarely in the mainstream of American mortgages — near the typical loan on a median-priced U.S. home with 20% down. It's also where rate shopping pays real money: the spread between a 5% and 8% rate on this balance is $443 every month.
The full monthly bill is more than principal and interest. If this loan is 80% of the home's price ($281,250 home), national-average property tax (1.1%/yr) adds about $258/month and average insurance ($2,341/yr) another $195 — bringing the realistic total to roughly $1,875/month. Under the classic 28% housing ratio, that suggests around $80,359 of household income. Local taxes change this a lot — see the state-by-state comparison.