by Omar Cruz | Apr 23, 2026 | Equity, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Rent vs. Buy
You’ve probably asked yourself lately: Is it even worth trying to buy a home right now? It’s a question a lot of people are asking.
With today’s home prices and mortgage rates, renting can feel like the easier path. In some cases, it might even seem like the only realistic option right now. And if that’s where you are, there’s nothing wrong with that.
But if you’re weighing the decision, there’s one part of the conversation that doesn’t get talked about enough.
It’s what each choice does for your future.
What Renting Really Gets You (And What It Doesn’t)
Depending on your situation, renting does have some advantages:
- Lower upfront costs.
- Less responsibility.
- More flexibility to move when you want.
But even with those benefits, a Bank of America survey found 70% of aspiring homeowners worry about what long-term renting means for their future. And that concern comes down to one thing: you’re not building anything for your future. As Yahoo Finance explains:
“Paying rent doesn’t build equity. You get a place to live, but no ownership stake, no price appreciation, and no asset to leverage for future borrowing or investment.”
So, while renting may feel easier, the flexibility you get comes at a cost.
How Homeownership Builds Your Wealth Over Time
On the other hand, owning a home is one of the most consistent ways people build wealth over time. Why? When you’re a homeowner, you gain something called equity. That’s the difference between what your home is worth and what you owe.
That equity grows with every monthly payment you make. It also gets a boost as home values go up through the years – and it adds up quicker than you may think.
Today, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) says the average homeowner’s net worth is 43X greater than that of a renter:
The dollars in the visual don’t lie. On average, here’s how net worth compares:
- Homeowners: $430k
- Renters: $10k
And it’s not because homeowners make wildly different decisions day to day. It’s because over time, one path builds something, and the other doesn’t.
So sure, buying comes with some upfront costs and more responsibility. But it’s basically a savings account you can live in.
The Gap Is Growing Over Time
And here’s something else interesting. That net worth gap between renters and homeowners has been widening over time, not shrinking.
If you look back at the reports on net worth through the years, you can see the gap is growing as homeowners gain wealth and renters stay stuck in the rental trap (see graph below):
Even in 2025, when home prices were moderating, homeowners still gained even more ground. And that tells you something important:
When you can afford it and you’re ready for the responsibility, history shows buying is usually worth it in the long run. Because either way, you’re paying for someone’s mortgage and building someone’s net worth.
When you rent, it’s your landlord’s mortgage – not yours. But when you buy? Your monthly payments help build equity.
The question is: whose do you want to pay? Yours or theirs?
So, Should You Buy a Home Now?
The short answer is, it depends on your situation.
While the long-term benefits of buying are clear, that doesn’t mean the timing is right for everyone right now. And that’s okay. You should only buy a home once you’re ready and the numbers work for you.
But whether you’re looking to buy now or planning for the future, the first step is the same. You should have a quick conversation with a local real estate agent about your goals, timeline, and budget.
They can help you run the numbers and see what’s realistic. You may find buying is closer than you thought. And if not, you’ll at least know exactly what it will take to get there.
Because the sooner you have a plan, the sooner you can decide when it makes sense, instead of wondering if it ever will.
Bottom Line
Renting may feel more doable today. But over time, it could cost you.
If you want to ditch renting and start building something for your future, it starts with a simple conversation. Connect with a real estate agent to talk about your specific goals, and explore your options – so you’re ready when the time is right for you.
by Omar Cruz | Feb 26, 2026 | Affordability, First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Rent vs. Buy
This blog is written by Keeping Current Matters.
Renting can feel like the easier choice right now. There’s no big down payment. No dealing with surprise repairs. And no long-term commitment.
But then your rent goes up again. And again. And suddenly the thing that seemed flexible starts looking… expensive, especially considering you’re not building any equity. And once that happens, it’s easy to feel a little trapped in the cycle.
That’s because there’s so much chatter today about how buying a home isn’t affordable. But the truth is, the math may work out better than you’d expect based on what’s changed recently.
Buying Is More Affordable Than Renting in Many Areas
In a lot of places today, owning a home actually costs less each month than renting a 3-bedroom home. And recent data from ATTOM shows that’s true in nearly 58% of counties across the U.S. (see chart below).
And that’s after you factor in things like insurance and typical maintenance costs.
In other words, even though it may feel like a bit of a shock, the numbers show rent often stretches monthly budgets more than owning does. That’s thanks to slower home price growth, more homes for sale, and monthly mortgage payments starting to ease as rates come down.
Affordability Still Varies by Region
Now, even though nationally the balance has shifted, that doesn’t mean buying is more affordable in every market or for every renter.
While buying is more affordable than renting in nearly 58% of counties nationwide, that share looks different depending on your region (see graph below):
The biggest improvement is happening in the Midwest and South. But if you’re living in the West, things could still feel tight.
The takeaway? How affordable buying is really depends on where you live. And the only way to know how this plays out where you live is to look at the numbers locally.
So, What’s Still Holding Buyers Back?
Maybe you’re nodding along so far but thinking, “Okay, but I still can’t afford the upfront costs.” If that’s your reaction, you’re not the only one.
For many renters, the biggest hurdle isn’t the monthly payment alone. It’s the down payment, too.
But you’re not out of options. Here’s the part most people don’t hear enough about: there are thousands of down payment assistance programs available across the country, and many buyers qualify without realizing it.
And the average benefit? Roughly $18,000.
That kind of support can help cover part of your down payment or closing costs, which means you may not need to save nearly as much as you think to get started.
When you combine that with monthly payments that may work better than expected, especially as rates continue to ease and prices cool, buying may feel far more realistic than it looks at first glance.
Bottom Line
The point isn’t that everyone should rush out and buy a home tomorrow.
It’s that renting isn’t always the more affordable option people assume it is – and buying may be more realistic than it feels once you look at the full picture.
If you’re renting and feeling stuck in the “someday” loop, it might be worth a simple conversation with a local real estate agent or lender. Just a chance to see what’s possible and whether it makes sense for you.
by Omar Cruz | Dec 8, 2025 | First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Rent vs. Buy
Renting can feel much less expensive and much simpler than buying a home, especially right now. No repairs, no property taxes, no worrying about mortgage rates – you just pay the bill and move on with your life.
But here’s the part people don’t talk about enough: renting doesn’t help you build your financial future. Meanwhile, homeowners grow their net worth just by owning a home.
So, if you’ve been wondering whether buying is still worth it, the long-term math is clearer than you might think.
Renting vs. Owning: How the Costs Really Compare
Let’s break down one of the key differences between renting and buying. When you rent, your payment goes to your landlord, and then it’s gone. When you own, part of your payment comes back to you in the form of equity (the wealth you build as the value of your home increases, and you pay down your home loan).
So, while renting may seem more affordable now, you have to remember it comes at a long-term cost: you’re not building your wealth. And it turns out, that’s a bigger miss than you may expect.
First American recently analyzed the long-term financial impact of renting versus owning a home. They compared mortgage payments, property tax, insurance, repairs, and maintenance against the equity gained through home price appreciation and paying down the mortgage. And they did that during several different time frames to see if it tells a consistent story:
- 2006: the start of the housing bubble
- 2015: 10 years ago
- 2019: just before the pandemic (the last normal years in the market)
- 2022: when mortgage rates jumped
In each time frame, two things were true: renters ended up losing money over time. And homeowners gained it.
Here’s some data so you can see this play out. Each color represents one of the key time frames. The solid lines show the buyer’s investment over time and how their net worth actually grew the longer they lived in their home. The dashed line represents the renter’s investment. In the end, they sank more and more cash into renting without gaining any financial benefit.
The takeaway is simple: time in a home builds wealth. Time renting doesn’t.
Basically, homeowners come out ahead. And the analysis shows that’s even after you factor in the other expenses that come with homeownership, like insurance, repairs, and property taxes. And that’s the case for every time frame First American looked into.
On the flip side, renters spent money on their rent, but didn’t gain any long-term financial benefit. That’s true no matter what window of time you look at in the study.
Now, that doesn’t mean buying always beats renting in the short term. But the longer you own, the wider the wealth gap becomes.
Affordability Is Starting To Improve
You might still be thinking, “Okay, but buying feels out of reach for me right now.” Fair.
The past few years haven’t been easy for buyers. But things are starting to shift. Mortgage rates have come down this year, home prices are softening, and incomes have been rising. And according to Zillow, typical monthly payments have gotten a little easier compared to this time last year. Not by a lot, but enough to make a difference.
No, buying isn’t suddenly easy. But it is easier than it was just a few months ago. And in the long run, history shows it’s worth it.
Bottom Line
Renting may feel less expensive today, but owning is what builds real wealth over time. And with affordability starting to improve, the path to homeownership may be opening up more than you think.
If you’re curious what buying could look like for you, connect with a local real estate who can help you plan your next move, pressure-free.
by Omar Cruz | Aug 8, 2025 | First-Time Buyers, For Buyers, Rent vs. Buy
Buying a home is exciting… until you start thinking about the down payment. That’s when the worry can set in.
“I’ll never save enough.”
“I need a small fortune just to get started.”
“I guess I’ll just rent forever.”
Sound familiar? You’re not alone. And you’re definitely not out of luck.
Here’s the thing: a lot of what you’ve heard about down payments just isn’t true. And once you know the facts, you might realize you’re a lot closer to owning a home than you think.
Let’s break it all down and bust some big down payment myths while we’re at it.
Myth 1: “I need to come up with a big down payment.”
This one stops a lot of people in their tracks. A recent poll from Morning Consult and NeighborWorks shows 70% of Americans think they need to put at least 10% down to buy a home. And 11% aren’t sure what’s required at all (see graph below):
The truth? According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the typical down payment for first-time buyers has been between 6% and 9% since 2018. But there’s more to the story. If you qualify for an FHA loan, you may only need to put 3.5% down. And VA loans typically don’t require a down payment at all. So, there are options out there that can really make a difference for some buyers.
Myth 2: “It’ll take forever to save up for a down payment.”
Sure, saving can take time. But it may not have to be as long as you think. In many states, reaching your goal can happen faster than you might expect, especially when you know your budget and have a clear savings plan.
According to a new study, the amount of time varies depending on where you live. The map below shows, on average, how many years it takes to save up for a 10% down payment based on typical home values and income levels in each state (see map below):
But remember, in most cases you won’t even need a down payment as large as 10%. Plus, no matter how much money you end up putting down, it won’t all have to come out of your pocket. Here’s why.
Myth 3: “I have to do it all on my own.”
This is one of the biggest myths of all. The reality is, there are thousands of down payment assistance programs out there, and the same poll from Morning Consult and NeighborWorks shows 39% of people don’t even know about them. That means a lot of potential homebuyers could already be closer to homeownership – they just don’t realize it.
These assistance programs are designed to help people like you who are ready to own a home but just need a little support getting started. As Miki Adams, President at CBC Mortgage Agency, explains:
“With high interest rates and soaring home prices, down payment assistance is more essential than ever.”
Bottom Line
If you’ve been putting off buying a home because the down payment feels like too much to tackle, talk to a local real estate agent. You may not need as much as you think, and there are plenty of resources out there, so you don’t have to do it alone. You just need an expert to point you in the right direction.
If the down payment wasn’t the thing holding you back, would you be ready to start your home search?
