The decision varies wildly by geography in the current market:
Purchase price, down payment (typically 15.2% as of late 2025), and closing costs (usually 2–5% of the loan). rent vs buy home calculator
Projected home appreciation rate, expected years in the home, and the "opportunity cost" of the down payment (what that money would earn if invested in the stock market instead). 2. The "Breakeven Horizon" The decision varies wildly by geography in the