Spade

Florida student arrested for Netanyahu joke on WhatsApp

When I ran the numbers on renting and investing the difference vs. buying a home, I used national averages and y'all lost your minds. Fair enough. This time I used two real listings in Durham, NC with matching bedrooms and comparable square footage. Apples to apples. The properties: - For sale: 305 Reynolds Ave — $389,000 / 3bd 2ba / 1,580 sqft - For rent: 1526 Smoky Mountains St — $1,950/mo / 3bd 2.5ba / 1,658 sqft The setup: - Mortgage rate: 6.50% (30yr fixed, 10% down) - Durham combined property tax rate: 0.99% - Home insurance: $1,721/yr (avg for 27707 zip) Buyer monthly cost (Year 1): - P&I: $2,213 - Property tax: $321 - Insurance: $143 - Maintenance (1%): $324 - PMI: $146 Total: $3,148/mo Renter monthly cost (Year 1): - Rent: $1,950 - Renters insurance: $14 Total: $1,964/mo The renter saves $1,184/mo. Plus the $50,570 in down payment and closing costs never leaves their pocket. All of it goes into $VOO. This time I'm accounting for what everyone said I missed: Assumptions: - Rent increases 3.5%/yr (it is NOT frozen) - Property tax increases 2%/yr - Home insurance increases 3%/yr - Home appreciates 3.4%/yr (avg since 1891) - S&P 500 returns 10%/yr (long-term avg) - PMI drops once equity hits 20% - Selling costs: 6% (agent commissions + transfer taxes) - Capital gains tax: 15% on stocks - Home sale exclusion: $500K (married couple) All results are AFTER taxes and selling costs Results: 1. After 10 years: - Renter net (after cap gains tax): $299K - Buyer net (after selling costs): $214K Renter wins by $85K 2. After 20 years: - Renter net: $815K - Buyer net: $519K Renter wins by $296K 3. After 30 years: - Renter net: $2.16M - Buyer net: $971K Renter wins by $1.19M "But rent will be $5,473/mo in 30 years." Yes. And the renter's portfolio generates $18K/mo at a 10% return. Even at a conservative 4% withdrawal rate, that's $7,200/mo. You can pay rent and still never touch the principal. What this still doesn't capture: - HELOC access / borrowing against equity - Refinancing if rates drop - Forced savings effect (most renters won't invest the difference) - Intangible value of ownership, stability, no landlord - HOA fees (if applicable) - Major repairs beyond 1% (roof, HVAC, plumbing) - Geographic differences: these numbers are Durham, NC. Your market will be different. A home is a place to live. It can also be a great financial decision depending on your market, discipline, and goals. But the "renting is throwing money away" crowd needs to run the numbers before they say that. Not financial advice. Run your own numbers.