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Should You Rent or Buy?

Should you rent or should you buy your home? It takes more than looking at your mortgage payment to answer this question. This calculator helps you weed through the fees, taxes, and monthly payments to help you make a good financial decision. Click the "View Report" button for a detailed look at the results.

Definitions

Price of home

Purchase price of the home you wish to buy.

Cash on hand

Cash you have for the down payment and closing costs.

Interest rate

The current interest rate you can receive on your mortgage.

Term in years

The number of years over which you will repay this loan.

Property tax rate

Your property tax rate. 1% for a $100,000 home equals $1,000 per year in property taxes.

Home insurance rate

Your homeowner's insurance rate. 0.5% for a $100,000 home equals $500 per year for homeowner's insurance.

Loan origination rate

The percentage the lending institution charges for its origination fee. 1% for a $100,000 home equals $1,000.

Points paid

The total number of points paid to reduce the interest rate of your mortgage. Each point costs 1% of your mortgage balance.

Other closing costs

Estimate of all other closing costs for this loan. This should include filing fees, appraiser fees and any other miscellaneous fees paid.

Total closing costs

Total upfront costs to close your loan. This is the sum of the loan origination fee, amount paid for points and other closing costs.

Total for down payment

Total funds remaining for down payment.

Mortgage amount

Total amount of loan.

Investment return

The rate of return you could receive if you invested your closing costs and down payment instead of purchasing a home.

The actual rate of return is largely dependant on the type of investments you select. From January 1970 to December 2003, the average compounded rate of return for the S&P 500, including reinvestment of dividends, was approximately 11.7% per year. During this period, the highest 12-month return was 64%, and the lowest was -39%. Savings accounts at a bank pay as little as 1% or less. It is important to remember that future rates of return can't be predicted with certainty and that investments that pay higher rates of return are subject to higher risk and volatility. The actual rate of return on investments can vary widely over time, especially for long-term investments. This includes the potential loss of principal on your investment.

Monthly rent payment

Amount you currently pay for rent per month.

Income tax rate

Your current marginal income tax rate.

Expected inflation rate

Inflation rate used to adjust amounts subject to annual increases. These amounts include rent, insurance and tax payments.

Home appreciates at

Annual appreciation you expect in the home you are purchasing.

Future sales commission

The percent of your home's selling price you expect to pay to a broker or real estate agent when you sell your home.

House payment

Total of principal, interest, taxes and insurance (PITI) paid per month for your home. Insurance includes Principal Mortgage Insurance (PMI) and homeowner's insurance.

Principal payment

Total of principal paid per month on your mortgage.

Tax savings

The value of the tax deduction you receive on your mortgage's interest and home's property taxes. For example, if you have $900 in interest and $100 property taxes per month, the value of the tax deduction would be $280. (At a tax rate of 28%).

Net house payment

Your house payment minus the value of the tax deduction and principal payment.

Net home price

Net selling price of your home after subtracting any sales commissions.

Monthly PI

Monthly principal and interest payment.

Monthly PMI

Monthly cost of Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI). For loans secured with less than 20% down, PMI is estimated at 0.5% of your loan balance each year.

The mortgage calculators are provided by KJE Computer Solutions, LLC and made available to NUMBER1EXPERT as self-help tools for your independent use and are not intended to provide investment advice. We can't guarantee their applicability or accuracy in regards to your individual circumstances. All examples are hypothetical and are for illustrative purposes. We encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding all personal finance issues.

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Agency >Dual Agency What happens when you are interested in purchasing property that is being sold by the same real estate agency in charge of your buying needs? You may have concerns about a dual buyer/seller agent. Will this form of agency protect your interests, or that of the seller? Will you as buyer be able to share confidential information about your needs? In states where dual agency is legal, the real estate agent will serve the needs of both parties fully, because good business practices and professional integrity require honesty and fairness. If a buyer and seller are both represented by the same agency, they will be asked to sign a dual agent contract acknowledging the affirmative obligations of the real estate agent. Neither party should fear being shortchanged because the other party's interests will come first. Because the real estate agent will honor the code of confidentiality, both parties may share sensitive information without undue anxiety. A reputable real estate agency will help to reach a satisfactory outcome to negotiations for both parties in the transaction. See All Tips In The "Agency" Category > See Complete Library Of Hundreds Of Tips In 30+ Categories >

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Sherlyn Waghalter RE/MAX on the Coast 911 Gulf Breeze Parkway Gulf Breeze, FL 32561 Office: 850-932-6278 Cell: 850-449-4242 swaghalter@remax.net Sherlyn Waghalter is the Broker/Owner of RE/MAX on the Coast. She is one of the leading Realtors in Northwest Florida and considered to be one of the foremost experts on the area. Sherlyn has received numerous accolades, including being selected as the Emerging Business Leader in Pensacola, FL, in 2005 and joining the RE/MAX Hall of Fame in 2006. Sherlyn understands the process of relocating: She moved from Baton Rouge, LA, with her spouse and three children in 1995 and quickly learned about what the region has to offer with its schools, hospitals, and events. She is actively involved in the community, participating in the Junior League of Pensacola (sustainer), IMPACT 100, Greater Pensacola Ladies Tennis League, the Women’s Council of Realtors and as a local school volunteer. Sherlyn is ranked No. 16 out of 7,000 RE/MAX agents in Florida and is the No. 1 RE/MAX agent in Northwest Florida. Her success can be attributed to knowing her community and treating each of her clients as she would like to be treated. Let Sherlyn put her experience and knowledge of the area to work for you. Call or e-mail her today for information on your next real estate transaction. www.DiscoverNorthwestFlorida.com is brought to you by Sherlyn Waghalter NUMBER1EXPERT™ in real estate for Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Pensacola Beach, Florida Read Sherlyn Waghalter's Privacy Guarantee, Terms of Service, and Free & Without Obligation Pledge

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