Choose your home.
Each mission gives you savings, a target payment, and three homes to explore.
Home Quest.
Make the numbers work. Make your next move.
BEGINNERFind your first home☆☆☆
01 / First keys
Your first place, without spending your entire savings. Find a home and a down payment that leave a little breathing room.
Starting savings$65,000
Monthly target$1,900
Keep in reserve$10,000
Make your moves.
Simulation rules: 6.5% fixed interest · 1.2% annual property tax · $1,200 annual home insurance. PMI is 0.5% of the original loan per year when the down payment is below 20%. Closing costs and maintenance are not modeled. Stars measure mission goals, not real-life affordability.
Progress lasts for this visit. Refreshing starts a new run. No real money, accounts, or prizes.
Find the balance.
Adjust your down payment and loan term. Every move changes the numbers.
Get the keys.
Meet all three goals for three stars and 100 XP. Try to master every mission.
Your numbers. Your playground.
No missions, no score. Use the fixed-rate mortgage calculator to explore principal, interest, taxes, insurance, PMI, and the full amortization schedule.
Your home & loan
Estimated monthly payment
/ month
- Principal & interest
- —
- Property tax
- —
- Home insurance
- —
- PMI
- —
- Loan amount
- —
Taxes and insurance can change. HOA fees, maintenance, and closing costs are not included.
PMI is an initial monthly estimate. Actual cancellation timing and premiums depend on your loan; PMI is excluded from the amortization schedule.
Calculated on your device. No sign-up.
See your loan over time.
Principal & interest onlyTotal interest—
Principal + interest paid—
Remaining loan balance
Start30 years
View annual amortization schedule
| Year | Principal | Interest | Balance |
|---|
About Home Quest & how the mortgage calculator works
Home Quest is a free financial game built from a real fixed-rate mortgage calculator. Your job is to choose a home, set a down payment, and pick a loan term while meeting three targets. Each scenario has fixed sample interest, tax, insurance, and PMI assumptions so you can focus on the trade-offs. A larger down payment lowers your loan but uses more cash; a shorter term can lower total interest while raising the monthly payment.
The payment uses the standard amortization formula: P × r ÷ (1 − (1 + r)−n), where P is the loan amount, r is the monthly rate, and n is the number of monthly payments. A zero-interest loan simply divides principal by the payment count. Property taxes and insurance are converted from annual to monthly amounts.
Challenge stars measure only the fictional mission rules. They are not an affordability score or mortgage approval. Sample rates are not current lender offers. Closing costs, HOA fees, maintenance, and changing taxes or insurance are not modeled. PMI is an initial estimate; the game does not predict its cancellation date.
The calculator sandbox lets you change the assumptions yourself and see an annual amortization schedule. That schedule includes principal and interest only. For independent explanations, see the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s guide to paying down a mortgage and PMI guide.
Can I play on my phone or with a keyboard?
Yes. Use the on-screen controls on your phone, or Tab through the controls with a keyboard. Arrow keys adjust the down payment slider and loan-term choices. You can also enter an exact down payment.
Do stars or XP have real value?
No. They are game feedback only. There are no real-money purchases, prizes, or transactions. Each completed mission earns 100 XP once per visit; you can replay without collecting duplicate XP.
Is my progress or financial information saved?
No. Inputs and progress stay in this page’s memory. Reloading starts a new run. No account or download is needed.