On apartment-heavy areas' neighborhood pages
If you farm an area with many rentals, a rent vs. buy calculator on that neighborhood page speaks directly to the people living there, and it works better than a 'thinking of buying?' banner.
Buyer tools · Renters
A rent vs. buy calculator for renters on the fence
Renters are the largest pool of future buyers, and their question isn't 'what's the payment?' It's 'should we buy at all?' This rent vs. buy calculator for agents compares the total cost of renting with the net cost of buying over the years the renter plans to stay, including appreciation, upkeep, closing and selling costs, and the investment growth they'd give up. It gives a straight answer, which makes it a credible way to start a relationship.
- Included on: every plan
- Runs in English and Spanish
- Leads arrive with all 8 results attached
Is it better to rent or buy a home?
It depends mainly on how long you'll stay, home price relative to rent, appreciation, interest rates and what your down payment could earn elsewhere. Over a short stay, buying and selling costs often make renting cheaper. Over a longer stay, equity usually tips it toward buying. The calculator shows where the line is for one renter's numbers.
When you'd send it
When to put the Rent vs. Buy Calculator in front of people
Around lease renewals
Many leases renew in late spring and summer. A social post or email in the weeks before ('Your lease is up. Should you renew or buy?') with this calculator catches renters at a natural decision point.
When a buyer hesitates over a short stay
If a buyer may relocate in three years, run the comparison together. An honest 'renting might be cheaper for you' builds more trust than pushing a purchase, and they'll remember it.
What your visitor sees
The renter enters their rent and expected rent increases, a home price, down payment, rate, term, how many years they plan to stay, appreciation, tax, maintenance and insurance rates, buying and selling costs, and the return they'd expect on cash if they keep renting. They get a verdict, the total cost to rent, the net cost to buy and the equity at sale after selling costs.
The lead you receiveA renter who's told you how long they plan to stay
You receive their current rent, the price they're considering, the Verdict, Total Cost to Rent, Net Cost to Buy and Home Equity at Sale (after selling costs), and the years they plan to stay. Their planned stay is the most useful number here. It tells you whether buying makes sense for them now.
Follow-up that works
- If the verdict favors buying, send three homes near their tested price, and offer a buyer consultation.
- If it favors renting, say so, and offer to rerun it if their plans change. That honesty is remembered.
- Put their lease end date in your CRM if they mention it.
- What your visitor enters
- Current Monthly Rent
- their input
- Annual Rent Increase (%)
- their input
- Home Price
- their input
- Down Payment
- their input
- Interest Rate (%)
- their input
- Loan Term (years)
- their input
- What they see (and what you receive)
- Verdict
- their result
- Total Cost to Rent
- their result
- Net Cost to Buy
- their result
- Home Equity at Sale (after selling costs)
- their result
- Total Mortgage Paid
- their result
- Contact and source
- Name, email, phone
- with consent
- Page and campaign
- UTM · referrer
Your numbers showed buying coming out ahead if you stay six years or more. Is that roughly your plan? If so, I can show you what $340,000 buys near where you rent now.
Before and after
Your page before and after this calculator
BeforeAfter
Before: Stop paying your landlord's mortgage
- A slogan renters have heard before
- Ignores closing, selling and upkeep costs
- Feels like a sales pitch
After: Compare renting and buying honestly
- Both sides of the decision, with all the costs
- A verdict based on how long they'll stay
- You earn trust before you ask for anything
Reading the results
What each result means for your follow-up
The same figures your visitor sees arrive in your lead record. Here's how to read the ones that matter.
- Verdict
- Which option costs less over the stay entered. It's sensitive to appreciation and years stayed, so test a couple of scenarios before drawing conclusions.
- Home Equity at Sale (after selling costs)
- What the buyer would have in the home when they sell, after selling costs. This is the number that makes buying look better over longer stays.
- Forgone Investment Growth
- What the down payment and closing costs could have earned if invested instead. It's a real cost of buying that many rent-vs-buy comparisons leave out.
What can go wrong
Mistakes that cost agents the lead
Using optimistic appreciation
A high appreciation default makes buying win every time and looks like a sales tactic. Use a conservative figure and let the renter test higher ones.
Ignoring the planned stay
The years-stayed input drives the result. If the default is long, short-term renters get a misleading verdict. Ask about their plans in the follow-up.
Treating the verdict as advice
The calculator compares costs under assumptions. It isn't financial advice, and life plans matter as much as math. Present it as one input to their decision.
Inside the Rent vs. Buy Calculator
What your visitor enters (14)
Renting
- Current Monthly Rent
- Annual Rent Increase (%)
Buying
- Home Price
- Down Payment
- Interest Rate (%)
- Loan Term (years)
- Years You Plan to Stay
Assumptions
- Home Appreciation (%/yr)
- Property Tax Rate (%/yr)
- Maintenance (%/yr)
- Home Insurance (%/yr)
- Closing Costs to Buy (%)
- Selling Costs (%)
- Return on Cash if Renting (%/yr)
Field names are shown as they appear in the calculator's English interface.
What they see (and what you receive) (8)
- Verdict
- Total Cost to Rent
- Net Cost to Buy
- Home Equity at Sale (after selling costs)
- Total Mortgage Paid
- Taxes, Insurance & Upkeep
- Closing & Selling Costs
- Forgone Investment Growth
Definitions shown in the calculator (9)
- Years you plan to stay
- How long you expect to live in the home before selling. Buying carries large one-time costs at purchase and at sale, and equity builds slowly in the early years of a mortgage, so a longer stay spreads those costs over more years. The verdict in this calculator can flip from renting to buying as this number rises.
- Down payment
- The cash paid toward the purchase price at closing; the rest is financed with the mortgage. A larger down payment lowers the loan and the monthly payment. In this comparison, the down payment and purchase closing costs are also treated as money that could have been invested if you kept renting, so their forgone growth counts as a cost of buying.
- Forgone investment growth
- The return your up-front cash could have earned elsewhere, also called opportunity cost. The calculator grows your down payment and closing costs at the return-on-cash rate for the years you plan to stay and counts that growth as a cost of buying. A higher assumed return makes renting look relatively better; a lower one favors buying.
- Home appreciation
- The yearly rate at which the home’s market value is assumed to rise. It drives the equity you have at sale, which offsets the costs of buying in this comparison. Appreciation is not guaranteed; values can stay flat or fall, and a low rate combined with a short stay can turn buying into the more expensive option.
- Home equity
- The portion of the home you own outright: its market value minus the remaining mortgage balance. It grows as you pay down principal and as the home appreciates. The equity-at-sale result in this calculator also subtracts selling costs, because that is closer to the cash you would actually walk away with when you sell.
- Closing costs
- One-time fees paid when you buy, such as lender charges, title insurance, appraisal and recording fees, entered here as a percentage of the price. They are not recovered when you sell, so they weigh most heavily on short stays. The calculator also counts the investment growth this cash could have earned if you had kept renting.
- Selling costs
- The costs of selling the home, mainly agent commissions plus transfer taxes and other settlement charges, entered as a percentage of the sale price. They are deducted from your equity at sale. Because they are charged on the whole sale price, not just your equity, they can absorb a large share of the gain on a short stay.
- Property tax
- An annual tax charged by local governments based on the assessed value of the home. Here it is entered as a percentage of the home’s value, so it grows as the home appreciates. Rates vary widely by state and county, so using the rate for the area you are considering improves the comparison more than a national average would.
- Maintenance
- Ongoing repair and upkeep costs, such as roofing, appliances, plumbing and paint, entered as a yearly percentage of the home’s value. Renters usually leave these to the landlord, so they are a real cost of owning that the rent side does not carry. Actual spending is uneven: some years cost little and others bring a large repair.
Calculator disclaimer
Estimates only. Buying costs include closing and selling costs, property tax, insurance, upkeep and the growth your up-front cash could have earned; tax deductions, PMI and HOA dues are not included. Real outcomes depend on market conditions and how long you actually stay. Consult a financial advisor before deciding.
Calculator results are estimates for illustration, not Loan Estimates, pre-approvals or offers of credit.
Terms on this page
Questions by topic
Rent vs. Buy Calculator: questions agents ask
What costs does the 'buy' side include?
Mortgage payments, property tax, insurance, maintenance, closing costs to buy, selling costs at the end, and the investment growth given up on the cash used, offset by the home equity at sale. Together these produce the net cost to buy.
Does rent increase over time in the calculation?
Yes. Rent grows each year by the annual increase entered. Over long stays, rising rent is one of the biggest reasons buying comes out ahead.
Why does the result change so much with years stayed?
Buying has large one-time costs (closing and selling), spread over the years you stay. Over a short stay, they dominate. Over a longer stay, equity and stable payments outweigh them.
What if the calculator says renting is better?
Tell the renter so. It's a strong trust-builder, and plans change. Offer to rerun the numbers when their situation or rates change, and keep them in a light nurture sequence.
Should I adjust assumptions to favor buying?
No. Keep defaults neutral and local. Renters can spot a rigged comparison, and an honest one is a better start to the relationship.
Is this financial advice?
No. It's a cost comparison under assumptions the visitor controls. Renters with complex situations should talk to a financial adviser, and buyers should get loan figures from a lender.
Where do renter leads come from best?
Neighborhood pages for rental-heavy areas, lease-renewal social posts, renter-focused ads and first-time buyer content. Pair it with the down payment calculator for renters who aren't ready yet.
Can I simplify the form?
Yes. Hide advanced fields such as investment return or maintenance and keep your local defaults. A shorter form gets more completions on mobile.
Does it run in Spanish?
Yes. Rent vs. buy runs in English and Spanish, including the verdict and definitions.
Pairs well with
Calculators that pair well with this one
Put the Rent vs. Buy Calculator on your next listing
Included on every plan, including the free Agent plan. No card needed.