Calculator

Sell It, or Keep It as a Rental?

Moving but not sure whether to sell the old place or rent it out? This shows you the honest tradeoff: the cash you would walk away with today versus what the rental gives you if you hold and sell later.

What You Know About the Property

What It Would Sell For

Mortgage Balance Left

Years Left on Your Loan

Roughly. A 30-year loan from 2019 has about 24 left. We use this to work out your principal and interest for you.

Your Mortgage Rate (%)

Your real rate on this loan. This tool does not assume a rate for you.

What It Would Rent For ($/mo)

The single biggest lever here. Use what this specific home would truly rent for today.

Your Monthly Payment ($/mo)

The full amount you pay each month. You do not need to know the breakdown.

My payment includes taxes and insurance (escrowed)Most do. Uncheck only if you pay taxes and insurance separately.

Years You would Hold It as a Rental

How long you would keep it before selling. We default to 10.

The Estimates

These default to the conservative load a lender uses to pressure-test a rental: 10% each for vacancy, management, and upkeep. That is why the honest cash flow lands lower than "rent minus the mortgage." Adjust any of them to your reality.

Vacancy (% of rent)

Time empty between tenants, plus the occasional non-payment. Even good rentals sit sometimes.

Property Management (% of rent)

Set to 0 if you self-manage, but count on the time cost either way.

Maintenance + Repairs (% of rent)

The bill you have not gotten yet. 10% of rent is the planning estimate, more for older homes.

Selling Costs (% of price)

Commission plus closing costs and typical concessions, whenever you sell, now or later.

Rent Increase (%/yr)

Home Appreciation (%/yr)

How fast the home gains value. Along with how long you hold, this drives the equity you walk away with later.

Let's figure out if this makes a good rental.

Your rent number, your real payoff, and what the cash is for all drive this. Book a rental consult and we'll run your actual figures together, then get you moving in the right direction, whether that is keeping it or selling.

Schedule a Rental Consult

Want the checklist I have people run through before they buy a rental? Get the free Beginner Investment Property Checklist →

Real Estate | Mortgage | Life Insurance | Financial Literacy

Educational tool only. Not financial, lending, real estate, tax, or legal advice. Brian Wittman is licensed in real estate (Real Broker LLC, IL License #475.164962), mortgage origination (NEXA Mortgage, LLC, Company NMLS #1660690; Brian Wittman, MLO NMLS #2646598; AZBK #2006218; Equal Housing Lender; NEXA corporate office: 5559 S Sossaman Rd, Bldg 1, Ste 101, Mesa, AZ 85212), and life insurance (Levinson & Associates). This is not a commitment to lend, and all loans are subject to credit approval. Consult a licensed professional for guidance specific to your situation. Verify mortgage licensing at nmlsconsumeraccess.org. Full disclosures at bluejeanbroker.com/disclosures.