What changed
What has changed in AffordMath, and where it matters to you.
This lists changes a reader would notice: a figure that moved, a rule that was corrected, a page that appeared. Where a change concerns only some places, the entry says which.
Sources, in plain words
- Sources explains each figure in a sentence or two of plain words, not in our verification notes. See it
Rent vs Buy shows and corrects the taxes on a sale
- Rent vs Buy now lists the tax on a sale gain above the federal home-sale exclusion, which its result already subtracted. See it
- The taxed home-sale gain now counts selling costs, as the IRS does, so a large gain owes less than before. See it
- Its calculation now shows the tax on investment gains on both sides, so every subtotal adds up. See it
- Down Payment now says a sold investment's gain is taxed whole at the flat long-term rate, as the US taxes it. See it
Seattle, Washington is now covered
- Seattle, Washington: King County's 2026 tax rate, NWMLS median prices and HUD's fair-market rent. See it
- Rent vs Buy deducts Washington's real estate excise tax, which the seller pays, when you sell. See it
Affects: Seattle
Answers first, and a way back to your numbers
- A first visit opens no section: the answer comes first, and nothing red is built on numbers you have not given.
- Every tool has an “Adjust your numbers” link from the answer to the fields that change it.
- Affordability warns when the budget it assumes is more than your monthly income, and asks for yours. See it
- Affordability's math column now multiplies out to the price it shows. See it
- Closing Costs leads with the closing costs; cash to close, down payment included, sits beside it. See it
- Amortization's renewal rate is one choice at the top of its section. See it
Readable sources, keyboard use, clearing your numbers
Affordability now names the lender's limit first
- When a lender would approve less than you could comfortably carry, Affordability now says so first. See it
- The “Assuming…” tag now jumps to the monthly budget it assumes, which moved to the first group of fields. See it
- Rent vs Buy answers straight away using the published apartment rent, clearly labelled, and asks for yours. See it
- Returning with saved numbers no longer makes the page jump while they load.
- A mistyped address now gets a proper page in your language instead of a bare error.
- This page, and a quiet note in the footer that points to it when something changes. See it
Closing costs say what the totals include
- Affordability: the lender limit is now marked at its own value on the gap band, not at the right edge. See it
- Closing Costs and Down Payment now say plainly which totals include the down payment and which do not. See it
- Down Payment shows “Not entered yet” for accounts you have not filled in, instead of $0. See it
- Scenarios now leads with your own down payment column, so its figure matches Affordability. See it
US closing costs now use US terms
Phone header fits; number fields show every decimal
- On phones the header no longer overlaps; a long place name is shortened inside its own control.
- Every control now shows the same keyboard focus outline.
- Number fields show every decimal they use: 5.25% no longer reads as 5. See it
- Adding a second applicant no longer assumes an income; the field starts empty. See it
US terms throughout the US pages
- US pages now use US terms throughout: PMI, debt-to-income ratios and county recording fees.
Austin, Texas added
- Austin (Travis County), Texas, is now available as a place. See it
Affects: Austin