A family currently live in an apartment whose monthly rent is $950. They are thinking of buying a house which would cost $220,000. They plan to live in this house for 5 years and sell it at the end of the 5th year. They would put a downpayment of $20,000 and finance the balance through a mortgage at 3.5% interest rate.

The mortgage is to be repaid in 5 annual installments (which include both principal and interest) at the end of each year for the next 5 years.

The house will have the following additional expenses: annual maintenance: $1500; Property taxes:$5500; Insurance: $1200. Assume they are in tax bracket of 25% and the price of home, rent and expenditure increases by 2.5% per year. Their opportunity cost or required rate of return is 5% per year.

Note, that property taxes are tax deductible and there no tax payable on capital gains. Use annual compounding for amortization schedule of mortgage.

a) Calculate the expected house price at the end of year 5.

Ans: $278,252; $248,222; $248,021; or $248,910

b) Calculate the total cost of owning in year 2.

Ans: $8303; $8222; $8021; or $8428

c) Calculate the Post tax Mortgage Cost (principal repayment plus after tax interest cost) for year 3.

Ans: $43,428; $42,925; $43,295; or $43,679

d) Calculate Ownership Operating Advantage in year 4.

Ans: ($40,155); ($39,631); ($39,350); or ($40,230)

e) Calculate Ownership Operating Advantage in year 1.

Ans: ($39,596); ($39,631); ($39,924); or ($39,350)

f) Calculate the rent saved during year 3.

Ans: $11,977; $12,276; $11,685; or $12,583

g) Should they buy this house or continue to rent?

Ans: Rent since IRR is 4.16%; Buy since IRR is 5.47%; Buy since IRR is 5.51%; or Buy since IRR is 6.28

Any help is welcome. Thank you!