Plug in your real rent and a home you're considering. See your actual monthly numbers side by side.
Start building your equity today. See your quick comparison.
This tool is for one specific person: someone currently renting in the Charleston Tri-County who has started wondering, seriously, whether they should keep renting or buy. Maybe your lease is coming up. Maybe rent went up again. Maybe you've got savings sitting in an account and you're not sure if it's "enough." This page exists to give that person a real, honest answer built from their own numbers, not a generic rule of thumb.
It is not built for current homeowners deciding whether to move up to a bigger home. That's a different calculator with different math (equity, existing mortgage payoff, capital gains). If that's you, use our Move-Up Calculator instead →(link once that page is live). And if you've already decided you're ready to buy and just want next steps, our First-Time Buyer's Guide(once built) and Buyers Guide to Homeownership pick up from here.
Renters and homeowners don't just pay different amounts each month. They end up in very different financial positions over time. Federal Reserve household data has consistently shown a wide net-worth gap between the two groups: the typical homeowner's net worth runs many times higher than the typical renter's, driven almost entirely by home equity. Rent payments cover housing and nothing else. Mortgage payments cover housing too, but slowly, then significantly, they also build an asset you own.
That doesn't mean buying is automatically the right move for everyone, right now, in every situation. Rates, how long you plan to stay, your savings, and what's happening in your specific corner of the Charleston market all matter. That's exactly why we built this calculator instead of just telling you "buy now." It runs your numbers, not a national average.
Four quick steps: your current rent, the home you're picturing, a snapshot comparison, then your full personalized report, including a 5- and 10-year equity chart and a written breakdown in plain English. Takes about two minutes.
Compare your rent against owning and see what your money could be building.
Tell us about your current rental situation so we can compare it with owning.
A snapshot of renting versus owning, month to month.
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Current rent + utilities$0
New estimated mortgageEnter your info to see your detailed breakdown and personalized analysis.
I agree to be contacted by TREAT Team at SCSold Real Estate via text, call and email. To opt out, reply 'stop' or click unsubscribe.
Current Monthly Cost (Renting)
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New Monthly Payment (Owning)
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Monthly Difference
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Estimates only. This is not tax, legal, or lending advice. Talk with your lender before acting on these numbers.
Enter your current monthly rent, utilities, and the savings you have set aside for a down payment. Then enter the home you're considering: purchase price, an estimated interest rate, property taxes, insurance, and HOA. The calculator runs a standard amortized mortgage calculation to find your estimated new monthly payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and HOA combined), compares it directly against what you pay to rent today, and projects your equity position, what you'd actually own, five and ten years out, based on an appreciation rate you control. You'll see a quick side-by-side snapshot first, then unlock a full written analysis after a short contact step. All figures are estimates for planning purposes, not a loan approval or guarantee.
Your full report appears instantly on-screen, no waiting on an email. It includes your monthly comparison, your equity chart, and a written breakdown of what renting is building (usually nothing) versus what owning could build at your numbers. A member of the TREAT team will also follow up personally, usually within one business day, to answer questions and, if it makes sense, help you get pre-approved so these estimates become real numbers with a real lender.
Brett Kelley and the TREAT Team have sold hundreds of homes and helped thousands of families across Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester make exactly this decision, many of them first-time buyers who started out unsure whether they could afford to leave renting behind. We give straight answers, including "keep renting for now" when that's honestly the better call.
© Zillow, Inc., 2006-2016. Use is subject to Terms of Use What's a Zestimate?
It depends on your numbers, not the market headlines. If you plan to stay in the home at least three to five years and your calculated monthly payment is close to or below your current rent, buying usually wins financially. Run your specific numbers above, that's exactly what this tool is for.
It varies by loan program, but many first-time buyers qualify with far less than 20% down through FHA, VA, or conventional low-down-payment programs. Enter what you have saved in the calculator and we'll show you what it gets you, and flag down payment assistance options during your follow-up.
Federal Reserve household data shows homeowners' median net worth is many times higher than renters', largely because mortgage payments build equity while rent payments don't. Our calculator shows you the equity side of that gap specifically for the home you're considering, not a national average.
It compares your current rent and utilities against an estimated mortgage payment (principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA) for a home you specify, then projects five- and ten-year equity based on an appreciation rate you control. See Section 6 above for the full breakdown.
Yes, significantly. The shorter your expected stay, the more closing costs and a slower equity ramp eat into the case for buying. If you're not sure, tell us your timeline when we follow up and we'll walk through both scenarios honestly, including "wait."
We do both. Many of our first-time buyer clients become our sellers years later when it's time to move up. See our Move-Up Calculator (once live) for that conversation when the time comes.
We only ask for contact info once, to send your full report and follow up. You can opt out any time by replying "stop" to any text. See the consent line on the calculator's contact step for full details.
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