Compare selling your Utah home today against keeping it as a rental — cash today, monthly cash flow, and estimated equity years from now, side by side.
Estimated net proceeds after 8.0% in selling costs and a $320,000 payoff.
At these assumptions the property carries negative monthly cash flow, meaning you would fund the shortfall out of pocket each month while equity builds. That is a trade-off, not automatically a disqualifier.
Not sure which option is best? Walk both scenarios through with a licensed professional.
Both columns use the same assumptions you entered. Neither option is recommended over the other — the right choice depends on your goals, risk tolerance, and tax situation.
| Measure | Sell today | Keep as rental |
|---|---|---|
| Net cash now | $186,000 | $0 |
| Monthly income | $0 | -$471 |
| Cumulative cash flow (5 yr) | $0 | -$19,889 |
| Future equity (5 yr) | $0 | $361,225 |
| Estimated appreciation | $0 | $87,601 |
| Remaining mortgage | $0 | $276,375 |
| Overall financial snapshot | $186,000 | $290,328 |
"Overall financial snapshot" for the rental column combines estimated net proceeds if you sold at the end of the horizon with cumulative cash flow along the way. It ignores taxes, depreciation recapture, and the return you might earn by investing sale proceeds elsewhere.
A sale converts equity into usable cash, ends the mortgage payment and carrying costs, and removes landlord responsibility and vacancy risk. That cash can fund a next down payment, retire debt, or be invested elsewhere.
Keeping the property retains an appreciating asset, continues principal paydown funded by a tenant, and can generate monthly cash flow — alongside vacancy, repair, tenant, and market risk.
Every homeowner's financial goals are different. Consult financial and tax professionals before making a major decision.
There is no universal answer. Selling converts equity into cash immediately and ends the carrying costs; renting keeps the asset, may generate monthly cash flow, and continues building equity through principal paydown and any appreciation. This calculator shows both scenarios side by side using your own assumptions so you can weigh liquidity against long-term position.
Subtract the mortgage payment, property taxes, insurance, HOA dues, a maintenance allowance, a vacancy allowance, and property management from the expected monthly rent. If the result is positive, the property cash flows at those assumptions. Negative cash flow is not automatically disqualifying, but it means you are funding the carrying cost out of pocket.
Many Utah owners model vacancy at roughly 5% of gross rent and a maintenance reserve in the range of 1% of home value per year, then adjust for the age and condition of the property. These are planning assumptions, not guarantees — a single major repair can exceed a full year of reserve.
It can. Lenders count the new mortgage payment and, depending on the program and documentation, may allow a portion of the rental income to offset it. Guidelines differ by loan program and by how long the property has been rented, so review qualifying with a loan officer before committing to a plan.
Capital gains exclusion rules, depreciation, and the treatment of rental income and expenses all have real tax consequences, and converting a primary residence to a rental can change eligibility over time. This calculator does not model taxes. Consult a CPA or tax professional before deciding.
Line-by-line selling costs and estimated net proceeds.
Pricing, prep, offers, and seller closing costs.
Equity, CLTV, and growth over time.
An alternative to selling when the goal is a lower payment.
Access equity without selling the property.
An equity strategy for homeowners age 62 and older.
What changes when a home becomes a rental.
The Utah Sell vs. Rent Calculator compares selling a Utah home today against keeping it as a rental, estimating net proceeds and equity for a sale alongside monthly and annual rental cash flow, mortgage reduction, future property value, and future equity over a one- to forty-year horizon using user-supplied appreciation and rent-growth assumptions. It presents both scenarios neutrally and excludes tax effects.
Talk to Tres — straight answers, real options, no pressure.