Buyer Tools
Rent or buy — what actually wins over five years?
The honest answer depends on how long you stay, how much the home appreciates, and what your down payment would earn if you invested it instead. Change any input and watch the break-even year move.
Your inputs
Break-even point
Year 10
Buying breaks even in year 10. Since you plan to stay only 5 years, renting likely leaves you ahead by $78,134.
At 5 years
Net cost to buy
$364,803
after equity + sale
Net cost to rent
$286,669
after investment gain
Year-by-year net cost comparison
| Year | Net buy | Net rent | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $148,705 | $54,482 | Rent |
| 2 | $205,636 | $110,378 | Rent |
| 3 | $260,697 | $167,701 | Rent |
| 4 | $313,788 | $226,462 | Rent |
| 5 | $364,803 | $286,669 | Rent |
| 6 | $413,629 | $348,328 | Rent |
| 7 | $460,147 | $411,442 | Rent |
| 8 | $504,231 | $476,010 | Rent |
| 9 | $545,748 | $542,027 | Rent |
| 10 | $584,558 | $609,484 | Buy |
Assumes 1.1% annual property tax, 0.2% insurance, 1% maintenance, $250/mo HOA, 6% selling costs, 30-year fixed loan. All figures are projections — consult your CPA for a full picture.
Context matters
Numbers don't live in a spreadsheet.
The calculator is a starting point. It doesn't price in neighborhood-specific appreciation (Butler Chain lakefront behaves differently than Lake Nona new-build), tax situation, or the intangibles — boat slips, schools, proximity, privacy.