Aluguel e Escolhas de Moradia · Lesson 2 of 2
Alugar ou comprar? Compare os Custos Reais
Um exemplo prático na região de DC que compara alugar a $2.000 por mês com comprar um apartamento de $320.000, incluindo os custos que compradores de primeira viagem frequentemente deixam passar e por que o número de anos que você fica é importante.
Concluído neste dispositivo
Parts of this lesson are not translated into your language yet, so they are shown in English.
Nesta aula
O que você vai aprender
- Liste os custos mensais e únicos de possuir uma casa e compare-os com o aluguel.
- Use um exemplo prático para comparar o custo total de aluguel e compra ao longo de vários anos.
- Explique por que o número de anos que você planeja ficar muda a resposta.
- Use um checklist de prontidão para decidir se deve começar a se preparar para comprar.
Como isso se conecta à classe: Na aula, o Módulo 12 aborda necessidades e desejos de moradia, a escolha entre alugar e comprar, e o que você pode pagar. Esta aula adiciona um exemplo trabalhado na área de DC ao longo de cinco anos, os custos que compradores de primeira viagem frequentemente deixam passar, uma tabela de equilíbrio e uma lista de verificação de prontidão.
Palavras para conhecer
- Principal e juros (Principal and interest)
- As duas partes de um pagamento de hipoteca. O principal paga o valor que você tomou emprestado. Juros são o que o credor cobra para emprestar.
- Taxa de condomínio ou associação de moradores (Condo or HOA fee)
- Uma taxa mensal que os membros de condomínios ou associações de moradores pagam por custos compartilhados, como reparos do prédio, áreas comuns e, às vezes, água ou lixo.
- Seguro hipotecário privado (PMI) (Private mortgage insurance (PMI))
- Seguro que você pode ter que pagar quando você dá menos de 20% de entrada em um empréstimo convencional. Ele protege o credor, não você.
- Custos de fechamento (Closing costs)
- Taxas que você paga para concluir a compra de uma casa, como taxas do credor, avaliação, seguro de título, impostos governamentais e pagamento pré-pago de imposto e seguro sobre a propriedade.
- Patrimônio (Equity)
- A parte da sua casa que você possui. É o valor da casa menos o que você ainda deve na hipoteca.
- Ponto de equilíbrio (Break-even point)
- O momento em que o custo total de compra fica menor que o custo total do aluguel.
- Entrada (Down payment)
- A parte do valor da casa que você paga em dinheiro no início. O restante é emprestado com uma hipoteca.
- Listar (Itemize)
- Listar certos custos, como juros de hipoteca e imposto sobre propriedade, na sua declaração de imposto federal para reduzir a renda sobre a qual você paga imposto. Você faz isso em vez de fazer a dedução padrão.
The full cost of owning a home
Many people compare their rent with a mortgage payment. That is not a fair comparison. A homeowner pays many costs that a renter does not:
- Principal and interest: the loan payment itself.
- Property tax: in DC, most homes are taxed at $0.85 for every $100 of assessed value each year. DC's homestead deduction lowers the tax for owners who live in the home. In Maryland and Virginia, the rate depends on the county or city where the home is.
- Homeowners or condo insurance: covers your home and belongings.
- Condo or HOA fee: this can go up over time. A condo association can also charge a one-time "special assessment" for a big repair, like a new roof.
- Private mortgage insurance (PMI): often required if you put less than 20% down on a conventional loan.
- Repairs and upkeep: when the water heater breaks, there is no landlord to call. Save for this every month.
Exemplo
Monthly cost: renting vs. buying a condo in DC
Kwame and Ama rent a one-bedroom apartment in Brookland, in Northeast DC, for $2,000 a month. They are looking at a one-bedroom condo nearby for $320,000. They would put 5% down and borrow $304,000 for 30 years at a fixed rate of 7%. That is close to the average 30-year rate in Freddie Mac's weekly survey in late September 2026, which was 7.03% on September 24. Your rate may be higher or lower.
| Monthly cost | Rent | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $2,000 | $0 |
| Renter's insurance | $15 | $0 |
| Principal and interest (7%, 30 years) | $0 | $2,023 |
| Property tax ($0.85 per $100, before any homestead deduction) | $0 | $227 |
| Condo fee | $0 | $450 |
| Condo owner's insurance | $0 | $30 |
| PMI | $0 | $125 |
| Savings for repairs | $0 | $100 |
| Total each month | $2,015 | $2,955 |
$320,000 × $0.85 ÷ $100 = $2,720 a year, or about $227 a month
In the first year, owning costs about $940 more each month than renting. The condo fee, insurance, PMI, and repair numbers are examples. Ask for the real condo fee and get insurance quotes for any home you consider.
Cash you need before you get the keys
Buying also takes a lot of cash at the start. In the example, Kwame and Ama need:
- Down payment: 5% of $320,000 is $16,000.
- Closing costs: about $9,000 in this example. Your lender must give you a Loan Estimate within three business days after you apply. It shows your real closing costs.
- Moving and early repairs or furniture: about $2,000.
$16,000 + $9,000 + $2,000 = $27,000 before move-in day
They should also keep an emergency fund after they pay all of this. Programs in DC, Maryland, and Virginia may help first-time buyers with the down payment and closing costs. See our lesson on down payment help.
By law, you can ask your loan servicer in writing to cancel PMI when your loan balance is scheduled to reach 80% of the home's original value, if you meet certain conditions, such as a good payment record. In this example, that takes almost 11 years.
Exemplo
Five years later: what did each choice cost?
Now imagine Kwame and Ama must move after five years. We assume rent goes up 3% a year, owner costs other than the loan payment and PMI go up 3% a year, the condo's value goes up 3% a year, and selling costs are 6% of the sale price.
Renting: $127,419 rent + $900 renter's insurance = $128,319
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cash at the start | $27,000 |
| Monthly costs for 60 months | $180,265 |
| Total paid | $207,265 |
| Sale price after five years | $370,968 |
| Minus selling costs (6%) | −$22,258 |
| Minus loan balance paid off at sale | −$286,160 |
| Cash back at sale | $62,550 |
| Net cost of buying ($207,265 − $62,550) | $144,715 |
Over five years, renting cost $16,396 less. Why? In the first five years, Kwame and Ama pay $121,351 in principal and interest, but $103,511 of that is interest. Only $17,840 pays down the loan.
If the condo's value does not go up at all, the cash back at sale is only $14,640, and the net cost of buying rises to $192,625. Home prices can stay flat or even fall. Also, the renters kept their $27,000 and spent less each month. If they save that money, renting looks even better in this example.
Break-even: why the number of years matters
The one-time costs of buying and selling are spread over the years you stay. The longer you stay, the smaller these costs are for each year. You also pay down more of the loan each year. Here is the same example over different lengths of time, if the condo's value goes up 3% a year.
| Years | Renting | Buying | Which cost less? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | $74,722 | $99,601 | Renting, by $24,879 |
| 5 | $128,319 | $144,715 | Renting, by $16,396 |
| 7 | $185,159 | $188,737 | Renting, by $3,578 |
| 8 | $214,856 | $210,285 | Buying, by $4,571 |
| 10 | $276,933 | $252,338 | Buying, by $24,595 |
In this example, the break-even point comes in year 8. With different prices, rates, or fees, it could come sooner or much later. If the home's value stays flat, buying costs more than renting for all ten years.
Some owners can deduct mortgage interest and property tax on their federal tax return, but only if they itemize deductions. Many people take the standard deduction instead, so they get no extra tax savings. A free VITA tax volunteer can tell you what applies to you.
Cuidado
Common traps on the way to buying
- "Paying rent is a waste of money." Rent pays for a place to live and the freedom to move. In the early years, most of a mortgage payment is interest, which you also do not get back.
- Rent-to-own or "lease-purchase" deals. You may pay extra each month toward buying the home later. If you miss a payment or cannot get a mortgage in time, you may lose all of that extra money. Some of these contracts also make you pay for repairs. Have a housing counselor or a lawyer review any contract before you sign. In DC, you can report unfair deals to the Office of the Attorney General.
- Buying the most expensive home a lender approves. A lender approval is not a budget. Make sure the full monthly cost still lets you save each month.
- Skipping the condo papers. Before you buy a condo, ask for the association's budget, its savings for repairs, and any planned special assessments.
Beyond money, and a readiness checklist
Money is not the only question. Think about:
- Flexibility: renters can move more easily for a new job or family needs.
- Stability: owners who keep up with the mortgage control their home and cannot be told to leave when a lease ends.
- Commute: a cheaper home far from work or Metro can cost more in time, gas, and fares.
- Schools: in DC and nearby counties, your address usually decides your assigned public school.
- Time and work: owners handle or pay for every repair.
Check each box that is true for you:
- We plan to stay in the area for many years. In our example, buying started to cost less only in year 8.
- We have cash for the down payment, closing costs, and moving, and we will still have an emergency fund after we buy.
- Our income is steady. Lenders often look at the last two years of work history. If we are self-employed or paid in cash, our tax returns show that income.
- We checked our credit reports from all three credit bureaus for free at AnnualCreditReport.com and fixed any errors.
- We can pay the full monthly cost of owning, not just the mortgage, and still save each month.
- Our other monthly debt payments are low. See our lesson on getting mortgage-ready to learn how lenders measure this.
- We met with a HUD-approved housing counselor or took a homebuyer education class.
No Social Security number? Most standard mortgage programs, including FHA loans, require one. Since May 2025, FHA loans are also only for U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and a few other small groups. Some banks, credit unions, and community lenders offer mortgages to borrowers with an ITIN. A housing counselor can help you find them.
Dica
Start with a housing counselor, not a salesperson
A HUD-approved housing counselor works for a nonprofit or public agency, not for a lender or a seller. A counselor can go over your budget, credit, and savings, and can tell you about first-time buyer programs in DC, Maryland, or Virginia. Many down payment help programs require a homebuyer education class, and counselors often teach one. Search by ZIP code with the CFPB's housing counselor finder.
If you missed some boxes on the checklist, that is normal. Use your years of renting to save, build your credit, and pay down debt. Then check the list again next year.
Principais lições
- O pagamento da hipoteca é apenas parte do custo. Adicione imposto sobre a propriedade, seguro, taxas de condomínio ou associação de moradores, seguro hipotecário e reparos.
- Comprar tem custos únicos altos, e vender uma casa também custa dinheiro. Por isso, uma estadia curta geralmente favorece o aluguel.
- No nosso exemplo, alugar custou menos em cada um dos primeiros sete anos. Comprar custou menos só depois disso, e somente porque o valor da casa aumentou.
- Nos primeiros anos de uma hipoteca, a maior parte de cada pagamento vai para juros, então você constrói patrimônio aos poucos.
- Antes de decidir, encontre um conselheiro habitacional aprovado pelo HUD. A ajuda geralmente é gratuita ou de baixo custo.
Verifique sua compreensão
Answer the questions, then select Check my answers. Get 4 of 5 right to complete this lesson. This is practice: there is no time limit, and we do not keep your answers.
Vá mais longe
Trusted websites where you can learn more. These links go to other websites that Dollar Scholars does not run.
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Comprando uma Casa: Ferramentas e Recursos para Compradores (outro site)
Guias passo a passo para se preparar para comprar, comparar ofertas de empréstimo e entender sua Estimativa e papéis de fechamento.
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Encontre um Conselheiro de Moradia (outro site)
Pesquise por CEP por conselheiros habitacionais aprovados pelo HUD que ajudem com compras, aluguel e crédito, muitas vezes com custo baixo ou gratuito.
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Alíquotas do Imposto sobre Propriedade Imobiliária (outro site)
As alíquotas atuais do imposto sobre propriedade em DC, para que você possa estimar o imposto sobre uma casa que está pensando em comprar.
This lesson is general financial education, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules and amounts change, so check important numbers with an official source.