Rent vs. Sell Calculator

Should you keep renting it out or cash out? Compare what a sale would net you against what keeping the property earns you each year, with a breakeven and a plain-English verdict. This is an estimate for screening purposes only — not tax, legal, or financial advice.

The property & the loan

Current market value ($)

Remaining mortgage balance ($)

Enter 0 if you own it free and clear.

Mortgage rate (% APR)

Years left on mortgage

Selling costs (% of value)

Agent commissions + closing costs; ~8–10% is typical.

Estimated capital gains tax owed ($)

What you'd owe after selling. Ask a tax pro for your real number.

The rental income

Current monthly rent ($)

Operating expenses (% of rent)

Maintenance, management, turnover — everything except mortgage, taxes, insurance.

Vacancy rate (%)

5% = about 18 days vacant per year.

Annual property tax ($)

Annual insurance ($)

Appreciation assumption (% per year)

How to read the results

Net proceeds is the cash a sale would put in your hand: value minus selling costs, mortgage payoff, and capital gains tax.
Annual cash flow is rent minus everything: vacancy, operating expenses, taxes, insurance, and the mortgage payment. Negative means you're paying to keep the property.
Return on equity is annual cash flow divided by your equity — what the money you've got trapped in the property is earning you. Compare it to what the net sale proceeds could earn invested elsewhere.
Breakeven answers: how many years of rent would it take to earn what a sale would pay you today? The longer it takes, the more attractive selling is.
The verdict weighs cash flow against sale proceeds plus the appreciation assumption. A short payback (under ~5 years) favors keeping; a long one (over ~10) favors selling.