Trulia's Rent Vs Buy Site

: It aggregates mortgage principal and interest, property taxes, hazard insurance, and HOA fees, and factors in future inflation and rent appreciation.

: It counts the massive "sunk costs" of buying, such as the initial down payment, closing costs, and the 5% to 6% agent commissions you pay when you eventually sell. trulia's rent vs buy

Most basic calculators only compare a monthly rent check to a monthly mortgage payment. Trulia’s model—developed and iterated upon by its economic research team—uses a multi-step net present value (NPV) calculation to account for the opportunity cost of your money. The engine weighs five distinct pillars: : It aggregates mortgage principal and interest, property