Buy vs. Rent PCS Calculator
Should you buy or rent at Fort Hood? Enter your PCS timeline and see the real numbers side by side — rank, BAH, tour length, and the exact break-even month.
For most Fort Hood families, buying with a VA loan beats renting once your tour at the station runs about 2.5 years or longer. At current rates, the typical break-even point lands near month 28–29 — before that, renting is usually cheaper; after it, the equity you build plus appreciation pulls buying ahead.
A representative example: an E-5 with dependents ($1,695/mo BAH) buying a $195,000 home in Killeen on a 3-year tour comes out roughly $5,100 cheaper buying than renting. The same family on a 1-year tour is about $1,600 better off renting — they PCS out before crossing break-even. The decision hinges on tour length, so run your own rank and timeline in the live calculator below.
VA loans require 0% down and no PMI, so the main upfront cost is the 2.15% VA funding fee, which rolls into the loan. The other lever most people miss: if you keep the home as a rental when you PCS instead of selling, the math swings sharply toward buying.
Why tour length decides it
Where does buying overtake renting?
Buying carries upfront friction — closing costs to sell, the funding fee, and early payments that are mostly interest. The longer you hold, the more equity and appreciation you recover. This timeline shows where the typical break-even point falls against common Fort Hood tour lengths at default assumptions (5.75% rate, 3.5% appreciation).
Worked examples
What the numbers look like by rank and tour
These scenarios use the same engine as the live calculator below — default 5.75% rate, 3.5% annual appreciation, with dependents, and a purchase price set to the maximum your BAH supports. They show the full term cost to rent vs. buy, and who comes out ahead.
Net cost = total payments over the tour, minus money recovered (renters recover $0; buyers recover equity plus appreciation, net of 7% selling costs). The 1-year tour example shows why short PCS timelines favor renting: you sell before crossing the ~29-month break-even. Your real numbers depend on the home you buy, your rate, and whether you sell or keep the property as a rental.
Your situation
Enter your details
Cost over time
Cumulative net cost: rent vs. buy
Methodology
What this calculator assumes
- VA loan: 0% down payment, no PMI
- VA funding fee: 2.15% (first use, rolled into loan)
- 30-year fixed-rate mortgage
- Renter’s insurance: $25/month
- Homeowner’s insurance: 0.85% of home value annually
- Closing costs to sell: 7% (commissions + title + fees)
- Average maintenance: 1% of home value per year
- Property tax rates: real Bell County city rates
- BAH rates: 2026 Fort Hood published rates
- No rent increases assumed (conservative for renting)
Common questions
Fort Hood buy vs. rent FAQ
Does a VA loan require a down payment to buy a house near Fort Hood?
Should I buy or rent near Fort Hood Texas?
What is the 2026 BAH rate for Fort Hood?
What are the property tax rates near Fort Hood?
Can I keep my house as a rental when I PCS from Fort Hood?
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Free Buy vs Rent Review
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Send your timeline, BAH band, and whether you might keep the house as a rental. Taylor will reply with the practical buy, rent, or wait recommendation.
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Estimates for educational purposes only. Actual costs depend on credit, lender terms, property condition, and market changes. Consult a licensed lender for official figures.