Cash-to-Close & Reserves Planner
The number that matters is the down payment plus everything else, minus what you should never spend.
Financing and Mortgage
What this article helps you decide
> Buyers get squeezed when they plan the down payment and forget the rest - or spend the reserve to reach a bigger house. On an older Eastside home, keep the reserve fatter. Lay out the whole cash picture so closing is boring.
Work through the decision in order
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Cash-to-Close & Reserves Planner
Use the worksheet without a form. Keep your notes in this browser, then bring the live facts into a Real Estate Review if the decision still matters.
Questions about Cash-to-Close & Reserves Planner
Clear answers first. If one question changes the deal, bring it into the review before you move money.
Q1What all goes into cash-to-close beyond the down payment?+
Closing costs and prepaids (2–4%), plus inspection, appraisal, and moving. The down payment is usually the biggest piece but not the whole number — plan the total so closing week is boring.
Q2How much should I keep untouched after closing?+
A post-close reserve of several months of full housing cost (jumbo lenders often require 6–12 months), plus a sinking fund for the known first repair on an older home. Reserve is the money you never spend to reach a bigger house.
Q3What if my cash doesn't cover the table plus the reserve?+
Lower the price, not the reserve. Buying a bigger home by spending your safety net is how comfortable incomes become house-poor after one surprise repair.
Q4Why keep the reserve fatter on an older home?+
Because the first repair — roof, sewer, drainage — isn't "if," it's "when." A sinking fund for the known project keeps a five-figure repair from wiping out your safety net in year one.
Q5Can I count RSUs or stock as my reserve?+
Lenders may count a portion of vested equity toward reserves, but volatile equity is risky to rely on the month you buy — a bad week can shrink it. Move what you'll actually need to cash as you near closing.
Q6How do I know my target price leaves me liquid?+
Run cash minus the table against your reserve target. If both don't fit, the price is too high — a quick check in a Real Estate Review confirms it before you write.
Apply the article to the live decision.
Let's make sure your target price leaves you liquid after closing - a quick check in a Real Estate Review.
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