Unbiased, Data-Driven Housing Math
Home Break Even was built to solve a simple problem: the "rent vs buy" calculators on Zillow, Redfin, and mortgage lender websites are built to sell you a loan, not to give you an honest answer.
The Conflict of Interest in Real Estate
When you use a calculator on a major real estate portal or a bank website, you are interacting with a lead-generation funnel. These platforms generate revenue by selling your contact information to loan officers and real estate agents.
Because their incentives align with transaction volume, their calculators are designed to make buying look as attractive as possible. They achieve this by utilizing over-simplified math that leaves out critical variables.
What Lenders Intentionally Ignore
Unrecoverable Costs
They fail to mention that homeownership has substantial sunk costs. Mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, HOA fees, and maintenance are money gone forever — just like rent.
Opportunity Cost
They assume your down payment and closing costs would sit in a zero-interest checking account if you rented. We factor in the compound returns of investing that capital elsewhere.
Transaction Costs
Buying costs 2–5% upfront, and selling costs 6–8% in broker fees and transfer taxes. These transaction costs create a significant financial deficit that takes years to break even.
Tax Complexity
They list "tax benefits" as a blanket win, ignoring the standard deduction increases and the $10,000 SALT cap which prevent 90% of homeowners from actually benefiting.
Our Commitment
Home Break Even is an independent financial tool. We do not sell loans, we do not partner with real estate brokers, and we do not capture your personal data.
25+ Real-World Variables
Every single calculator input — from inflation rates to marginal tax brackets — is fully adjustable so the math fits your specific market and situation.
Zero Sign-ups
We will never ask for your email address, phone number, or name. The tool is free and accessible instantly.
100% Client-Side Privacy
Your financial parameters stay in your own browser. We do not send your slider values to a database or store them on a server.
Run your own scenario.
Compare the buyer net worth vs. renter net worth over time using our unbiased financial engine.
Use Our Rent vs Buy Calculator