Rent vs Buy Calculator
Use this free Rent vs Buy calculator to make better property management decisions. Enter your values below to get instant results.
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How to Use This Calculator
- 1 Enter monthly rent amount
- 2 Enter purchase price and down payment
- 3 Input mortgage rate and term
- 4 Add taxes, insurance, maintenance
- 5 Compare costs over time
Example Calculation
$1,800 rent vs $350K purchase
Inputs:
- Rent: $1,800
- Price: $350K
- 20% down
- 7% rate
Result:
Monthly buy: $2,450. Break-even: ~7 years
Important Considerations
- • Tax benefits vary by income
- • Rent control affects calculations
- • Flexibility may outweigh pure financials
Frequently Asked Questions
Generally: staying 5+ years, price-to-rent ratio <25x, can afford 20% down, likely appreciation. Shorter horizons favor renting.
Often missed: maintenance (1-2% value), opportunity cost of down payment, transaction costs, time investment.
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