Should I rent or buy?¿Debería rentar o comprar?
The entry question, answered with observable numbers only: what each path costs you for good every month, what builds equity, and the price-to-rent test. No appreciation guesses — when the numbers alone can't decide it, this tool says so.La pregunta de entrada, respondida solo con números observables: cuánto pierdes para siempre cada mes en cada camino, qué construye plusvalía y la prueba precio-renta. Sin apuestas de plusvalía — cuando los números solos no deciden, esta herramienta lo dice.
The screen: Below 15, the ratio screens toward buying — the full comparison (appreciation, opportunity cost, your horizon) is the Pro Buy-vs-rent NPV’s job.
| Over your 5 years | Renting | Owning |
|---|---|---|
| Cash gone for good | $132,000 paid, none of it yours | $169,725 in interest, tax, insurance and upkeep |
| Equity built | $0 | $19,125 of loan principal becomes yours |
Deliberately assumption-light: flat rent (rents usually rise, which favors owning), no home appreciation, no return on the down payment you didn’t invest elsewhere (both matter, both are guesses). The Pro Buy-vs-rent NPV models those scenarios explicitly. Mortgage insurance is left out too, though a lender charges it under 20% down — the payment and affordability tools model it at 0.75%/yr. The rate field is prefilled from the Freddie Mac PMMS 30-year average; confirm the figure for the current week before leaning on this comparison.
When the free version isn't enoughCuándo la versión gratis no alcanza
This tool deliberately ignores home appreciation and what your down payment could earn invested elsewhere — the two numbers that dominate long horizons and that nobody actually knows in advance. The Pro Buy-vs-rent NPV models both as explicit scenarios, side by side, so you can see which assumption your decision actually hinges on. If you'll stay under three years, transaction costs usually decide it before either assumption matters.Esta herramienta ignora deliberadamente la plusvalía de la vivienda y lo que tu cuota inicial podría rendir invertida en otra cosa — los dos números que dominan horizontes largos y que nadie conoce de antemano. El Buy-vs-rent NPV de Pro modela ambos como escenarios explícitos, lado a lado, para que veas de cuál supuesto depende realmente tu decisión. Si te quedarás menos de tres años, los costos de transacción suelen decidir antes de que importe cualquier supuesto.
→ What do I need to qualify?→ ¿Qué necesito para calificar? · → How much house can I afford?→ ¿Cuánto puedo pagar? · → Buy now, or wait?→ ¿Comprar ahora o esperar?