Calculators
"Rent is throwing money away" is too simple, and so is "buying is always better." The honest answer depends on how long you'll stay, what rates and rents do, and what your money would otherwise be doing — this runs the actual numbers instead of a slogan.
Buying
Renting
$29,968
Renting wins over 7 years
$185,774
Buyer's home equity at end
$215,742
Renter's investment value at end
$202,289
Total rent paid over period
$344,187
Total buyer cash outlay
Methodology: both sides start with the same money — the buyer puts it into the down payment and closing costs, the renter invests it instead. Whenever buying costs more per month than renting, that difference is added to the renter's investment; the comparison is the buyer's home equity (net of hypothetical selling costs) against the renter's investment balance at the end of the period. It assumes equal-quality housing and doesn't model tax deductions.
These calculators provide estimates for educational purposes only — they are not a loan quote, rate lock, pre-approval, or commitment to lend, and actual figures depend on your full application, credit profile, and current rates through Unitas Lending. Property tax, insurance, and HOA figures are user-entered estimates, not verified amounts.
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Frequently Asked
Usually, the longer the horizon, the more buying tends to win — closing and selling costs are one-time hits that get diluted over more years, and principal payments build equity renters don't accumulate. But it genuinely depends on your specific rate, appreciation, and how the local rent-to-price ratio compares.
It's the standard way to make the comparison fair — a renter who doesn't put money into a down payment could invest it elsewhere instead. Without that assumption, renting looks artificially worse than it is.