Real estate calculators for buyers, owners and investors
Buying, owning or investing in a home is one of the biggest financial decisions most people make. This page brings together every real estate calculator on the site, grouped by the stage you are at: setting a budget, choosing a mortgage, managing the loan once you own the home, and analyzing a rental property. All of them are free, run in your browser and show how each result is calculated.
Before you buy: set your budget
Start with the debt-to-income ratio calculator to see how lenders view your income and debts. The house affordability calculator turns that into a home price under the 28/36 rule or FHA and VA limits, and the down payment calculator shows how much cash you need at closing. Not sure whether to buy at all? The rent vs. buy calculator compares the real cost of both over the years you plan to stay, and the rent calculator finds a rent that fits your income.
Choosing a mortgage
The mortgage calculator shows the monthly payment with property tax, insurance, PMI and HOA fees. Government-backed loans have their own costs: the FHA loan calculator adds mortgage insurance premiums and the VA mortgage calculator adds the VA funding fee. To compare offers, the APR calculator includes points and fees, and the amortization calculator shows how every payment splits between principal and interest.
After you buy
Once you own the home, the mortgage payoff calculator shows how extra or biweekly payments shorten the loan, and the refinance calculator tells you whether a new rate is worth the closing costs. To borrow against your equity, compare a home equity loan with a HELOC.
Real estate investing
The rental property calculator analyzes an investment property: monthly cash flow, cap rate, cash-on-cash return, IRR and the profit when you sell.
Key real estate formulas
| Measure | Formula |
|---|---|
| Front-end DTI | housing costs / gross income |
| Back-end DTI | all debt payments / gross income |
| Loan-to-value (LTV) | loan / home value |
| Net operating income (NOI) | yearly rent − operating expenses |
| Cap rate | NOI / property price |
| Cash-on-cash return | yearly cash flow / cash invested |
Example: a $300,000 rental earns $2,500 a month and costs $10,000 a year to run, so the NOI is $20,000 and the cap rate is 6.7%. Bought with 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7%, the mortgage costs $19,161 a year, which leaves a cash flow of $839. With $69,000 invested (down payment and closing costs), the cash-on-cash return is only 1.2% — a high mortgage rate can eat most of a rental's income.
A simple plan for buying a home
- Check your DTI and pay down debts if it is high.
- Set a price range with the affordability calculator, then leave a margin below the maximum.
- Compare loan types, terms and rates, including taxes, insurance and fees.
- Save for the down payment, closing costs — often 2% to 5% of the price — and an emergency fund.
- After buying, review extra payments or refinancing when rates change.
All results are estimates. Lenders also look at your credit score, savings and employment, so talk to a lender or financial advisor before making a decision.