Run your numbers.

Monthly payment

Full PITI — principal, interest, taxes, insurance, and estimated mortgage insurance when the down payment is under 20%.

How much house?

The classic 28/36 guideline: housing under 28% of gross income, all debts under 36%. Lenders may approve more — this is the number a budget likes.

A guideline, not a verdict — real affordability depends on taxes for the specific home, your savings goals, and the life you fund besides housing. A pre-approval turns this estimate into a real number.

Pennsylvania buyer closing costs

Why the same house costs more to close in Philadelphia than in Blue Bell: transfer tax. Assumes the customary 50/50 buyer-seller split, which is negotiable.

Estimates for planning — your Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure carry the real figures. Seller credits, negotiated tax splits, and municipal fees all move these numbers.

Seller net sheet

What you'd actually walk away with — price minus payoff, commission, your transfer-tax half, and typical settlement items.

Prorated taxes, negotiated credits, and repairs adjust the final figure — we prepare an exact net sheet with every listing consultation. Not sure of your price? Start with a valuation.

Rent vs. buy — the honest math

Counts everything both ways: rent increases; and for buying, closing costs in, selling costs out, minus the equity and appreciation you'd keep. Assumes 5% down.

Short stays favor renting because transaction costs need time to amortize; long stays favor owning. The assumptions are the argument — change them and see when the answer flips.