Rent vs. own calculator for Florida veterans
Rent goes up, and none of it comes back to you. See when owning a Florida home with a VA loan starts to come out ahead.
Apply — soft pull only Book a 15-Minute Call
✓ Soft credit pull only. Applying won’t affect your credit score.
- My team reviews your application as soon as it comes in.
- If you qualify, you get a pre-approval letter and a full itemized estimate.
- If you’re not there yet, you get a clear plan to get ready.
This calculator compares the money you’d spend and never get back on each side. For renting, that’s your rent. For owning, it’s the payment, taxes, insurance, HOA and upkeep, minus the equity you’d walk away with if you sold.
The property tax and insurance fields start with placeholder estimates. Replace them with real numbers for the home you’re considering.
Rent vs. own calculator
Example numbers are filled in, including placeholder Florida estimates for property tax and insurance. Change any of them to match the home and the rent you’re looking at.
Renting
Buying with a VA loan ($0 down)
More assumptions
Where your monthly money goes in year one
Money gone for good, year by year
What waiting to buy could cost
Year-by-year numbers
| Year | Rent paid (total) | Owning: money gone | Home value | Loan balance | Your equity |
|---|
Estimate for illustration only. The rate shown is an example, not a current offer. Owning costs include principal and interest, property tax, insurance, HOA, upkeep and the closing costs you enter; the VA funding fee (unless you’re exempt) is added to the loan. “Money gone” for owning subtracts what you’d keep if you sold at the end of each year, after selling costs. Home values and rents can go down as well as up. The calculator doesn’t include tax deductions, a future refinance, or what a renter might earn by investing any monthly difference.
For illustration only. Results are estimates based on the numbers you enter and general assumptions, and may not reflect your situation. This is not a Loan Estimate, pre-approval, rate quote or commitment to lend. Any rate shown is an example, not a current rate or an offer. Your actual eligibility, loan amount, rate, payment and costs depend on your credit, income, property, appraisal and underwriting, and can change without notice. Not all applicants qualify. CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC NMLS #3029. Equal Housing Opportunity. Full disclaimer.
Florida things to keep in mind
- Insurance and HOA dues. These can make a big difference in Florida, and they tend to rise over time. Use real quotes, and include flood insurance if the home is in a flood zone. See homeowners insurance for a VA loan in Florida.
- Homestead exemption. Once you own and live in the home, Florida’s homestead exemption can lower your property tax. Disabled veterans may qualify for more, and some are fully exempt. See Florida property tax exemptions for disabled veterans.
- How long you’ll stay. If you expect PCS orders soon, use the time frame slider to see whether buying still makes sense. Many military families keep the home as a rental when they move.
Ready to see the full payment? Try the VA loan payment calculator, or find your price range with the affordability calculator.
Questions Florida veterans ask
Does this include the VA funding fee?
Yes. Unless you choose the option for VA disability pay, the funding fee is added to the loan, so it shows up in your balance.
What if home values go down?
Enter a lower or negative appreciation rate. The calculator will show how that changes the break-even year.
Does it count tax deductions?
No. It leaves out tax deductions, future refinancing and any investment return a renter might earn, so the result is a simple side-by-side comparison.
Talk it through with my team
A calculator gives you an estimate; a review by my team gives you real numbers. The application takes about 10 minutes and uses a soft credit pull only.
More Florida VA calculators
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