With interest rates near forty year lows, the decision to rent versus buy becomes a 
big question. 
Buying a house for the first time can be a complicated financial decision. You have 
to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of being a renter against those of being 
a homeowner, and you have to consider your financial situation as well as economic 
conditions, now and into the future.
According to Trulia’s Winter 2012 Rent vs. Buy Index, 98 out of the 100 largest 
metropolitan areas including San Diego, it is now cheaper to buy than to rent.

Click here to compare the costs of renting to the costs of buying a home. Since there 
are all kinds of forces at work behind the scenes (interest, property taxes, tax savings, 
appreciation, opportunity costs, closing costs, selling costs, etc.), comparing the cost 
of renting to the cost of buying is a lot more complicated than just comparing the monthly 
mortgage payment to the monthly rent payment. This calculator attempts to forecast the 
net effects of all the hidden forces so you can make an informed decision.