Is it better to buy or rent right now?
It depends mostly on how long you stay, what rent does over that period, and what the home is worth when you sell. Buying tends to look better the longer you stay, because upfront and selling costs get spread over more years.
Renting · Written by Anil Aggarwal, Realtor® | Mortgage Loan Officer · Updated August 8, 2026
A fair comparison gives the renter credit for investing the cash a buyer would put into the down payment and closing costs, and gives whichever side has the lower monthly cost credit for investing the difference.
Buying also has costs renting does not: maintenance, property taxes, homeowners insurance, possibly HOA dues, and selling costs at the end.
Because appreciation, rent growth and investment returns are assumptions, look at a range. Change appreciation to 0% and to 5% and see whether your decision flips.
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