The decision to purchase a home is one that many find overwhelming, especially if they are currently renting. The best thing to do is to investigate your options. Start by using this calculator to help you 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.