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Tax Payment Shock

Your mortgage payment can jump $300, $600, even $1,000 a month — without your lender ever touching your interest rate. In Florida, the culprit is escrow: your property taxes and homeowners insurance.

Recorded June 4, 2026

Recorded June 4, 2026. Figures and market conditions reflect information available on that date and may have changed since. Independent research by Todd Hanley; not the views of United Direct Lending.

Research sources

138 sources were consulted in Todd Hanley’s independent research for this video. The 10 below were cited by two or more separate research passes; every link was checked when this page was built.

Government & primary data (7)
News & analysis (3)
Also consulted (128)

Full script

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Your mortgage payment just went up — and your lender didn't raise your rate.

Here's what's actually happening in Florida right now: Escrow payments in Florida have surged 70% since 2019. That's not your rate. That's your taxes and insurance. 38 cents of every dollar you pay toward your mortgage right now? It's not going to principal. It's going to escrow. Real people — real cases — mortgage payments jumping $300, $600, $1,000 a month. Overnight. No warning. One buyer in Lake County went from $2,164 a month to $3,136. In less than a year. Same house. Same rate.

And here's the part that should make you angry — this is predictable. It's calculable. And sometimes, no one in your process ever brings it up.

In fact, a federal class action lawsuit was filed in October 2025 against D.R. Horton — the nation's largest homebuilder — and its mortgage subsidiary DHI Mortgage. The suit alleges they showed buyers artificially low payment estimates using unimproved land tax values — as little as $38 a month in property taxes on homes that would later carry bills 10 to 20 times higher. The complaint calls it a "Monthly Payment Suppression Scheme." Those are allegations — D.R. Horton denies them. But Frankie Santiago's payment went from $2,164 to $3,136. That part is not in dispute.

So I built something.

This is the Escrow Shortage Calculator. You plug in what you're paying now, what your taxes are going to be, and it shows you exactly what's coming — before it hits your mailbox. No guesswork. No surprises. Just the number.

Link is in the bio. It's free. Use it. And if you bought a home in Florida in the last two years and nobody walked you through this — you need to run this calculator today.

I'm Todd Hanley. I'm a mortgage broker. And my job is to eliminate the guesswork from this process — so you're never the person opening that letter wondering what just happened to your payment.

Want to talk through your own numbers?

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Independent research and commentary. The research, data analysis, and opinions in this video and on this page are Todd Hanley's own and do not represent the views of United Direct Lending. They are not lending advice and are not tied to any loan program, product, or lending decision.

Educational content only. Not a commitment to lend, a rate quote, or an offer of credit. Programs, rates, fees, and guidelines are subject to change without notice; not all borrowers will qualify. Todd Hanley, RICP® | NMLS #1013665 | United Direct Lending NMLS #1749719 | Equal Housing Opportunity.

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Date & Time
Duration30 minutes
WithTodd Hanley, RICP®