Not a bad idea. The delta between 9% and 4% is pretty compelling.

As a shopper, I would say the Mello Roos is definitely not a hidden cost. In fact, when comparing properties and estimating value/asking price I explicitly convert the monthly MR back to a loan amount just to see how much less to offer.

So, I think you would get the value back in a sale. It would distinguish your house from others explicitly, based on cash instead of canyon view or stunning decor.

This thread suggests that I should check on the MR payout amounts and explicitly deduct that from the value of houses. It’s a good way to compare like houses with different MR payout amounts and different MR payoff schedules.

Does anyone know – would it be possible, when buying, to just add an MR payoff amount into the mortgage ?