How long do you
need to stay?
The right answer to "should I buy?" depends on your time horizon. Below break-even years, renting builds more net wealth (your down payment compounds in the market faster than home appreciation gives you). Above it, buying wins.
Market assumptions
What this is + isn't
A wealth-comparison framework.
This is a SCREENING calculator. It compares net wealth after N years for a homeowner (equity) vs a renter (down payment invested in the market) under your input assumptions.
What it captures:home appreciation, rent increases, investment returns, principal pay-down, ongoing ownership costs (tax, insurance, HOA, maintenance), closing costs when you buy (3% of the price) and the cost of selling (6% of the home's value), so the owner's wealth in any year is what they would walk away with if they sold then.
What it doesn't capture:(1) tax deductions on mortgage interest + property tax, which can shorten break-even by 1-3 years for itemizing taxpayers; (2) local market-cycle risk (appreciation is rarely linear); (3) lifestyle factors that aren't financial.
For your specific scenario, a lender and a fee-only planner can walk through it with you. The calculator gives you the conversation starter.
Talk to an agent about buying
If buying makes sense for your time horizon, an agent can talk through homes that fit your budget and the next steps, including a rate quote from a lender you choose. A licensed agent from QA Onboarding Test will follow up about homes and financing. Only a lender can pre-approve you for a loan.
Other calculators: Mortgage · Affordability · Closing costs