Rent vs Buy
Compare ownership equity, renter investments, monthly costs, and break-even timing.
Buying advantage$1,336
Inputs
Buying, renting, growth, and investment assumptions.
Buying
Down payment
Rate default: Mighty Oaks static mortgage-rate fallback - 2026-07-11Tax default: Hamilton County TN ACS effective-rate estimate - acs2024_5yr
Ownership Costs
Rent and Growth
Results
Buying is ahead by $1,336 after 7 years.
Buying advantage$1,3367 year comparison
Owner net worth$132,015Equity after sale costs
Renter net worth$130,679Invested cash differences
Break-evenYear 7When buying first pulls ahead
Cash Flow
Upfront cash to buy$52,000.00
First-month owner cost$3,180.44
First-month rent cost$2,425.00
Total owner outflow$325,188.02
Total renter outflow$225,797.05
Net Worth
Ending home value$491,949.55
Ending loan balance-$325,498.48
Estimated selling costs-$34,436.47
Owner net worth$132,015
Renter net worth$130,679
Year by Year
$360,000 starting loan amount.| Year | Home value | Owner net worth | Renter net worth | Buy edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $412,000 | $27,184 | $63,581 | -$36,397 |
| 2 | $424,360 | $42,972 | $75,090 | -$32,118 |
| 3 | $437,091 | $59,392 | $86,503 | -$27,111 |
| 4 | $450,204 | $76,475 | $97,797 | -$21,322 |
| 5 | $463,710 | $94,250 | $108,943 | -$14,693 |
| 6 | $477,621 | $112,752 | $119,914 | -$7,162 |
| 7 | $491,950 | $132,015 | $130,679 | $1,336 |
Estimates only. Rent vs buy outcomes are highly sensitive to appreciation, rent growth, selling costs, repairs, taxes, insurance, investment returns, loan terms, and how long you stay in the home.