Good financial discipline starts with good financial planning.

Here’s an easy mortgage calculator to help you estimate what you can expect to pay when financing your home.

For those who are new to home buying, I’ll also explain a few things to help you get started.

• Down payments - When financing your home, the type of loan you use and how you plan to use the home will often determine your minimum down payment. In most cases, your lender will likely expect between 0-5% of the home value, or at least 25% down if purchasing as an investment property.

• Property taxes - If you have a particular home, how much the current owner is paying in property tax is matter of public record. Simply browse your County Assessor’s Office website to find the relevant tax record. Otherwise, you can also estimate the property tax based on the assessed value of the home. How to calculate property tax.

• Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) - If you’re putting less than 20% down, you’ll likely have to pay monthly PMI. The rate you pay is based on multiple factors, including your credit score, but is typically between 0.58% - 1.86% of the loan value.