Real estate
Rent or buy?
The honest answer depends on the numbers and how long you'll stay. This weighs buying — mortgage, costs, and the leverage — against renting and investing your down payment. The rates are assumptions, and it skips tax specifics.
Rent vs buy
Over your holding period, which costs less? This weighs the mortgage, ownership costs, and transaction fees against the equity you build — versus renting and investing your down payment. All rates are assumptions, and it ignores tax specifics; it's a teaching guide, not advice.
It's roughly a wash on these numbers — so the choice comes down to lifestyle and flexibility, not money. Buying builds $182,170 of home equity; renting frees up your down payment to invest (gaining $58,029). Monthly mortgage ≈ $1,439.
Educational only — not financial advice. A simplified model: it ignores tax (mortgage-interest relief, capital-gains rules), assumes steady rates, and uses rough transaction-cost estimates. Real decisions also turn on flexibility, job security, and lifestyle, not just cost.