How renting and buying are compared
- Owning costs: mortgage payments, property tax, insurance, maintenance and HOA fees, plus closing costs at the start.
- Renting costs: rent and renter's insurance, rising each year.
- The fair comparison: the renter invests the down payment, closing costs and any monthly savings. The buyer invests the savings in years when owning is cheaper.
- At the end: the buyer sells (paying selling costs and the remaining loan); the renter has their investments.
Work out the exact payment with the mortgage calculator.