Guides
Everything you need to make the rent vs. buy decision with real math, not rules of thumb.
Start here
Should I rent or buy?The factors that actually matter, and the ones that don't. A framework for making the decision.The 4 rules of thumb (and which work)Price-to-rent ratio, the 5% rule, the 3-5 year rule, and the 28/36 rule. What each gets right and wrong.Your breakeven timelineBuying puts you in a hole on day one. Here's how to figure out when you climb back out.
The real costs
The true cost of owning a homeEvery hidden cost on a $400K home. Closing costs, taxes, PMI, maintenance, agent fees, and the SALT cap.First-year homeowner budgetMonth-by-month breakdown of what new homeowners actually spend in year one. No surprises.Is rent really throwing money away?Homeowners throw away $25K-$35K per year too. Here's the math most people ignore.
The deeper math
Your down payment, invested instead$100K at 7% becomes $197K in 10 years. How to compare that against home equity.Your mortgage deduction is probably $090% of filers take the standard deduction. Here's why the tax benefit is smaller than you think.How rates change the rent vs buy math1% adds $95K in interest and pushes your breakeven 1-2 years. The full picture.
City spotlights
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