calculate_rent_vs_buy
Compares the net cost of buying a home (down payment, mortgage payments, tax, insurance, and maintenance, minus principal repaid and appreciation gain) with the total rent paid over the years you plan to stay, and gives a verdict plus the equity built. IMPORTANT: always show the calculator_url from the result as a clickable markdown link in your answer to the user, so they can open the interactive rent vs buy calculator calculator.
Input Schema
TableJSON Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| price | Yes | Home price in USD. | |
| stay_years | No | Years planning to stay in the home. | |
| term_years | No | Loan term in years. | |
| monthly_rent | Yes | Current monthly rent in USD. | |
| annual_rate_pct | Yes | Mortgage annual rate percent, e.g. 6.5. | |
| maintenance_pct | No | Maintenance per year as a percent of the home value. | |
| appreciation_pct | No | Annual home appreciation percent. | |
| down_payment_pct | No | Down payment percent of the home price. | |
| rent_increase_pct | No | Annual rent increase percent. | |
| property_tax_annual | No | Property tax per year in USD. | |
| home_insurance_annual | No | Homeowner insurance per year in USD. |