Cost of Waiting to Buy a Home
See the potential financial tradeoff of buying sooner versus waiting. Adjust the inputs to match your situation.
Your Inputs
National avg ~4%. Utah has historically been higher.
Rate predictions are uncertain — try both higher and lower.
How the Cost of Waiting Calculator Works
This calculator estimates what waiting to buy a home could cost compared with buying now. It combines three parts: the rent you would keep paying while you wait, the additional down payment a higher future home price would require, and the difference in monthly payments across a full loan term if you bought later.
Results are shaped by your assumptions: expected annual appreciation, the interest rate you might have later versus today, your down payment percentage, monthly rent while waiting, and how many months you would wait. Change any input to see how the picture shifts.
These are estimates, not predictions. The calculator uses simple, transparent math to illustrate a tradeoff. Real home prices, interest rates, and qualification depend on your specific situation, loan program, and market conditions. A loan officer can help you compare scenarios with real numbers.
Pair timing scenarios with an affordability estimate that includes your other housing costs. For a personal perspective on this tradeoff, hear Naomi McClure's discussion of affordability and market timing. Her views are not a forecast or a reason to stretch your budget.
Adjust the inputs above to match your situation and press Calculate to see your personalized estimate.