Rent vs. Buy Calculator
Compare two possible paths over the same number of years, then change the assumptions to see what drives the result.
This calculator does not decide whether you should buy a home. It organizes costs that are easy to overlook: rent changes, down payment, loan payments, taxes, insurance, maintenance, buying costs, selling costs, loan balance, and possible home equity.
Run more than one future
No one knows exactly what rent, home values, taxes, insurance, HOA dues, or maintenance will do. Try a shorter and longer stay. Then change the rent, home-value, and owner-cost assumptions. If the answer changes easily, that uncertainty belongs in the decision.
Your numbers
What goes here?
Use your actual current rent, or a rough Reno-area starting example if you are exploring the market.What goes here?
A common planning range to test is 3%-5% a year. Nobody can predict this exactly — try a low and a high version.What goes here?
The price you are considering, or a round number for the price range you are exploring.What goes here?
Many programs allow less than 20% down. We started at 5% of the illustrative price — use the percentage from your program.What goes here?
This is a placeholder, not a live quote. Check the market-rate context on the Free Tools page or ask us for a current estimate.What goes here?
We started with a rough Reno/Washoe County illustrative estimate (about 0.9% of price per year). Your county assessor’s site will have the real number for a specific property.What goes here?
A rough starting estimate. Ask a licensed insurance agent for a property-specific quote — costs vary a lot by home, location, and coverage.What goes here?
Leave at 0 if the property has no HOA. If it does, the listing or HOA documents usually list the monthly due.What goes here?
A common starting range is about 1% of home price per year.What goes here?
Enter 0 to hold these costs level, or test an annual increase — 2%-4% is a common planning range.What goes here?
If the down payment is under 20%, a common illustrative range is roughly 0.5%-1.5% of the loan amount per year, divided by 12. Otherwise, leave at 0.What goes here?
Closing costs and prepaids paid in cash — a rough starting range is 2%-3% of the price. See the Homebuying Cash Planner for a fuller estimate.What goes here?
No one can predict this. Try 0%, a modest positive number, and a negative number to see how much it changes the answer.What goes here?
A common starting range is 6%-8% of the sale price, covering agent commissions and typical closing costs on the sale.What goes here?
Your best estimate of how long you would stay before selling or moving. Try a shorter and longer version — this often changes the result the most.Estimated result
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Comparison at the number of years entered
| Home value at year entered | $0 |
| Remaining loan balance | $0 |
| Estimated equity if sold (after selling costs) | $0 |
| Year buying starts costing less than renting | — |
Educational estimate only. Not a forecast, recommendation, or promise of home value or equity.
Stability and flexibility have value, even when they do not fit in one number
Think about the possibility of moving, the amount of savings left after closing, room for repairs, commute, family plans, and whether you want the responsibility of maintaining a home. Buying can build equity over time, but appreciation is never guaranteed.
Read should you wait for rates to drop before buying?, continue with the first-time buyer guide, or test a monthly payment.
How to read the last line
The comparison is only the result of the assumptions entered. It is not a recommendation, forecast, or promise of equity. Change the assumptions and pay attention to which ones move the answer most.
Educational planning only. These tools do not provide a loan approval, offer, rate quote, Loan Estimate, or commitment to lend. Property costs, loan terms, and program rules must be confirmed for the person and property involved. Harry Protopappas, Mortgage Loan Originator, NMLS #2543750. NEXA Mortgage, LLC, NMLS #1660690. Licensed in California and Nevada. Equal Housing Lender.