Know your home decision.
Compare the numbers behind buying, renting,moving, waiting, and long-term housing choices.
Settings
App info and controls
Privacy+
This site does not require an account, name, email address, username, password, or public profile to use the tools.
Calculator entries may be saved only in this browser so you can return on the same device and update them.
PDF downloads are free and do not require an email address. Optional email delivery remains separate from the free download.
This site is not designed to sell personal data. Use Clear saved data at any time to remove saved calculator information from this browser.
Tools+
Open a calculator, enter the numbers you know, and tap Calculate.
Calculation details
Each tool uses the information you enter, visible assumptions, and deterministic calculations. Risk flags and clear explanations highlight what matters most.
Results are estimates. They depend on the inputs, assumptions, and missing details shown in the result.
The Download PDF Report button creates a report from the last calculated result where available.
Shared Journeys+
Shared Journeys adds a human layer to calculators and articles by showing realistic experiences, tradeoffs, and lessons from people facing similar decisions.
Open Shared JourneysComplete PDF Report+
The calculator results are free to view on this site.
The optional PDF is a convenience export for users who want to save, print, or share their calculation. It is educational, not professional advice.
The PDF report may include the selected tool, information entered, key numbers, assumptions, risk flags, confidence indicators, clear explanation, and the educational disclaimer.
Click Calculate first so the PDF matches the most recent result shown on the page.
Ads are not included in the PDF report.
Disclaimer+
HomeDecisionIQ is an educational calculator and decision-support site. It does not provide financial, legal, tax, mortgage, real estate, insurance, investment, or professional advice.
Results are estimates based on the information entered and assumptions shown. Outcomes depend on personal circumstances, market conditions, applicable rules, timing, and future events that cannot be predicted.
Read full disclaimerCommon Questions+
Q: Is this financial or legal advice?+
A: No. HomeDecisionIQ is an educational calculator and decision-support site. It does not provide financial, legal, tax, mortgage, real estate, insurance, or professional advice.
Q: Do I need an account?+
A: No. The tools do not require an account, username, password, email address, or profile.
Q: Why do the results show assumptions?+
A: Housing decisions depend on assumptions like purchase price, down payment, interest rate, rent comparison, and holding period. Showing assumptions makes the result easier to question and update.
Q: Can I export my result?+
A: Yes. The calculator includes a free PDF export so you can save, print, or share your result.
Q: What is Shared Journeys?+
A: Shared Journeys is a straightforward collection of housing experiences people might recognize. It is educational context, not advice.
Methodology
How the Engines Work
This page covers the HomeDecisionIQ-specific calculator approach. General network standards live in the AnswerWorth Methodology Index and the AnswerWorth Trust Standard.
HomeDecisionIQ uses three HomeDecisionIQ engines for affordability, rent-vs-buy, and refinance decisions.
The affordability engine estimates ownership cost, income pressure, debt pressure, cash after closing, emergency reserves, risk flags, assumptions, scenarios, and confidence.
The rent-vs-buy engine compares renting and buying across mortgage cost, cash needed, planned stay, appreciation, investment return, flexibility, stress tests, and break-even timing. When one option costs less each month, the model assumes that difference is invested at the entered investment return rate, before taxes. Contributions are made at the end of each year.
The refinance engine estimates savings, break-even timing, refinance costs, PMI/MIP effects, cash required, interest differences, risk flags, assumptions, and confidence.
This methodology is intentionally transparent. It is built for planning clarity, not mortgage, real-estate, financial, tax, legal, insurance, or professional advice.