Rent vs. Buy
Is buying worth it yet?
"Renting is throwing money away" isn't always true — and neither is "always buy." Compare the two over the number of years you actually plan to stay.
Over 5 years
Buying looks cheaper by roughly
$72,833
Net cost of buying
$54,587
after ~$163,356 equity
Total rent paid
$127,419
Monthly mortgage payment$2,207
All-in monthly cost of owning$2,832
Simplified estimate. It doesn't model selling costs, the return you'd earn investing your down payment instead, or tax effects. Use it to sanity-check timing, not as financial advice.