USA Tool

Rent vs Buy

USA-specific breakeven. Transfer Tax drags foreign buyers out 15+ years; citizens hit breakeven fast. Model the numbers by buyer status, horizon and assumptions.

Upfront Buy Cost

$560,925

Incl. $52,925 closing costs

Transfer Tax (0.00%)

0.00%

Primary Residence

Breakeven Year

Not within horizon

Net Worth Diff @ Yr 10

-$94,878

Buy minus Rent

Year-by-Year Comparison

YearProperty ValueLoan Bal.Buyer EquityCum. RentBuy NWRent NWDiff
1$2,060,000$1,461,515$598,485$66,000-$64,070$522,971-$587,041
2$2,121,800$1,421,681$700,119$133,980-$64,067$484,440-$548,506
3$2,185,454$1,380,451$805,003$203,999-$60,813$445,341-$506,154
4$2,251,018$1,337,775$913,242$276,119-$54,204$405,688-$459,892
5$2,318,548$1,293,604$1,024,944$350,403-$44,133$365,495-$409,628
6$2,388,105$1,247,885$1,140,220$426,915-$30,487$324,778-$355,265
7$2,459,748$1,200,563$1,259,185$505,723-$13,152$283,555-$296,708
8$2,533,540$1,151,583$1,381,958$586,894$7,990$241,848-$233,857
9$2,609,546$1,100,885$1,508,661$670,501$33,064$199,678-$166,614
10$2,687,833$1,048,411$1,639,422$756,616$62,194$157,072-$94,878

USA-Specific Notes

  • • For foreign buyers, 60% Transfer Tax alone = $1,200,000 on this deal. Breakeven is rarely under 15 years.
  • • Model assumes renter invests the upfront buy cost at the investment return — a conservative opp-cost anchor.
  • • Property appreciation at 3%/yr is the single biggest lever. Sensitivity-test it.
  • • Transaction costs on sale (~1% agent + stamping) are not modeled here — subtract them at exit.