Calculator
Cost of Waiting Calculator
Compare buying now against buying later at a different price and a different rate, and see what the wait actually costs or saves.
Run it honestly, in both directions
Most versions of this calculator assume rates rise and prices climb, which guarantees the answer. This one lets you set the future rate lower than today’s, because that is a real possibility and you should see what it does.
The durable argument is not a forecast. It is that a rate can be refinanced later and a purchase price cannot. If you buy now and rates fall, you can reprice the loan. If you wait and prices rise, that increase is permanent, and so is the larger down payment it requires.
What the waiting buyer gives up
The buyer who acts now pays down principal and captures appreciation over the same months. The one who waits pays rent instead. The calculator totals both so the comparison is complete rather than payment-only.
Related
All calculators · Rent vs. buy · 2-1 buydown · Rate locks explained
Want the real numbers instead of estimates? I am David Silva, a mortgage loan officer in Westminster, CO (NMLS 1352284), licensed in Colorado, California, Georgia and Texas. Send me your scenario and I will run it with your actual credit profile, the property real taxes and HOA, and current pricing.