Rent vs. buy calculator

Honest math over a multi-year horizon. Accounts for downpayment opportunity cost, rent growth, appreciation, and the 7% sale cost when you exit.

Home price you'd buyRent if you stayed renting / moDown %Mortgage rate %Years until you'd sellHome appreciation %/yrInvestment alternative return %/yr

After 7 years

Renting wins by $457,565

If you BUY — net position: -$249,853
If you RENT + invest — net position: $207,712
Home value after {years} years: $1,145,051
Estimated equity at exit: $474,498
Total monthly cost — buy: $6,480
Monthly cost — rent (today): $3,500

Honest take: rent-vs-buy is highly sensitive to the appreciation assumption. Bay Area long-term is ~3-4%; short windows can be -5% to +10%.

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