Set your target and current pace. We show how many months (or years) it takes as plain cash vs invested savings, and reverse-solve the monthly amount to hit any move-in date.
Your down-payment goal is target home price × down-payment percent. 20% down avoids PMI on a conventional loan; 3-10% is common for FHA and first-time-buyer programs.
We show two scenarios side by side: plain cash savings (no return) vs invested savings compounded monthly at your chosen return rate. The invested column captures what your money earns while it waits.
Cash vs invested — which should I pick? Short horizons (< 2-3 years): HYSA. Longer horizons: consider a taxable brokerage / robo-advisor at low-cost index funds.
What return should I use? HYSA 4-5% in 2026. Diversified portfolio: 5-7% long-run assumption.