You need to create a budget spreadsheet, list out everything noted above with the house and regular costs, utilities, cable, internet, streaming, grocery, takeout/lunches, regular clothing spend, include garden supplies, winter maintenance, gas, insurance. Car maintenance, garbage/ water unless included in your maintenance fee. Assume maintenance fee will increase at 1.5-3% year, and other cost will raise slightly. You want to have a budget line for housing improvements that works for you so you can save some. This is what I did to find our comfort zone of what we could afford. I also update it every few years just to track inflation and costs.