KEY POINTS
  • While mortgage calculators are free and easy to use, many fall short of giving all the information you need to estimate your payment.
  • Property taxes are often the biggest omission

House shoppers hurrying to find dream homes before interest rates go higher often turn to online mortgage calculators offered by personal finance and real estate sites to get a feel for just how dreamy a home they can afford.

When they do, they risk getting bad information, experts say.