Decision tools
Sell Versus Rent Calculator
Compare an immediate sale with the income, expenses, and equity of holding — before you decide.
Direct answer: enter your sale numbers, rental economics, and how long you’d hold the property. This calculator compares selling today against renting it out and selling later, updating instantly as you type.
Sale details
Rental economics
Projection
Sell now
$110,750
Hold 5 years, then sell
$167,265
- Cumulative net cash flow
- -$10,500
- Future sale price
- $521,673
- Future net sale proceeds
- $177,765
- Total estimated value
- $167,265
The decision has a shelf life
Run this again if your numbers or plans change.
Rates, rents, and your own circumstances all shift. Treat this as a snapshot for today’s numbers and your current plans, not a permanent verdict — revisit it if either changes meaningfully.
Methodology
How this comparison is calculated.
Sell now uses the same calculation as the Seller Net Proceeds calculator: sale price minus payoff, commission, and closing costs.
Hold for N years, then sell adds up net rental cash flow (rent, less vacancy, operating expenses, a capital-expense reserve, and mortgage payment) over the holding period, then adds the estimated net proceeds of a future sale at an appreciated price.
Two simplifications worth knowing: cash flow is straight-line — rent and expenses are not inflated year over year, just multiplied by the holding period — and the future sale reuses today’s mortgage payoff figure rather than modeling loan amortization, which understates future equity rather than overstating it. This is a simplified estimate, not a substitute for a property-specific analysis.
Worked example (hypothetical)
A $450,000 property with a $310,000 payoff, $2,500 monthly rent, 5% vacancy, $600 monthly expenses, $150 monthly capital-expense reserve, an $1,800 mortgage payment, 3% annual appreciation, and a 5-year hold estimates roughly $110,750 if sold now, versus roughly $167,265 in total estimated value from holding 5 years — in this specific example, holding is estimated to outperform selling now by about $56,500, driven mainly by appreciation on the future sale rather than the (slightly negative) monthly cash flow. Change any number above to see how the comparison moves. This example is illustrative only, not a market data point.
Downside cases
- Negative monthly cash flow (rent doesn’t cover expenses and the mortgage payment) compounds every month you hold — a small monthly shortfall becomes a large cumulative one over several years.
- Appreciation is not guaranteed. Try a 0% appreciation scenario alongside your expected rate to see how sensitive the comparison is.
- Vacancy and capital expenses are often underestimated — unexpected vacancy or a major repair (roof, HVAC) can erase several years of projected cash flow at once.
National considerations
Landlord-tenant law, rent-control rules, and typical vacancy/expense ratios vary significantly by state and city.
Utah considerations
Utah has no state-level real estate transfer tax, and rents and vacancy have differed meaningfully by county along the Wasatch Front — use local rent and vacancy figures rather than a national average where possible.
Author: Todd McClean, Realtor® | Real Estate Investment Strategist, Mountainland Realty, Inc.. Reviewed July 21, 2026. This tool provides general real estate information and is not legal, tax, accounting, lending, securities, commodities, or financial-planning advice.
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This calculator uses simplified assumptions. A strategy review can pressure-test your specific numbers, market, and timeline.