We’ve been told from a young age that buying is preferable to renting. Building equity in a home is preferable to paying rent. There are several situations where renting makes more sense than owning a home, and vice versa. You can choose the one that best meets your needs by learning more about the pros and cons of each option.

Pros of Renting a Home

Flexibility

Renting may provide the most flexibility if you don’t like the thought of being restricted to one neighborhood, one type of house, one city, or even one country. When your lease expires, you are no longer obligated to stay and can move elsewhere. Renting may be a better fit for your lifestyle than owning a home if you enjoy traveling, have thought about relocating abroad, or simply want the freedom to relocate wherever you please.

Maintenance

Renters enjoy the benefit of not being responsible for any maintenance concerns or required repairs. A home’s routine maintenance and daily care can be very expensive, from purchasing materials to hiring expert labor to complete the work correctly. Renting means that your landlord is responsible for any problems that may occur.

Less costly

Renting is often far more accessible and economical if you don’t have enough income or a good enough credit score to obtain a mortgage. 

Cons of Renting

Your house is not yours

Renting means you aren’t increasing your equity, your earnings will be used to pay off someone else’s mortgage rather than your own.

Price can increase for rentals

In today’s market, rental rates can be just as expensive as home prices. It might be challenging to find a home that meets your needs and fits your budget. As your landlord is legally permitted to increase your rent by a specific percentage each year in line with local rules, you’ll also need to take into account the fact that the amount you’re paying now will keep rising over time with no end in sight.

Instability

Renting means acknowledging that conditions can be unstable. Rent is never a fixed expense because home ownership can change at any time, leading to new rules, regulations, or even charges. In general, renting might make it difficult to feel secure.

Pros of Owning a Home

Owning a home is undeniably appealing, particularly if you’ve lived in rentals your entire life and are familiar with their drawbacks. While the advantages will differ from person to person, there are several common advantages.

Stability

When you own a home, you have peace of mind with the same mortgage payments each month and can focus on other things. You’re the owner of the house; there is no shock of increased rent that can be posed by a landlord if you are living in a rented property.

Financial gains

As the homeowner, you get to keep the equity if the value of your home rises. If you decide to sell later, you will be able to keep the capital gains.

Building your Home’s Equity

From an early age, we have all been told that investing in your home can help you increase your equity. What does that actually imply? With each mortgage payment you make, you get a little bit closer to owning your home outright and having something valuable that you can genuinely call your own. This is your own asset.

Cons of Owning a Home

Maintenance

Any maintenance-related problems that may occur in your rental apartment are your landlord’s responsibility as the tenant. Being a homeowner places that duty entirely in your hands. When you decide to buy, there are several hidden maintenance charges you should be ready for, such as replacing the roof every ten years, mending a leaky pipe, or maintaining the landscape.

Expenses are higher

Most of the time, mortgage payments exceed rent every month. That does not include the upfront charges you will incur when you officially buy the property, such as land transfer taxes, legal bills, insurance, and condo or community fees (if applicable).

Rooted to one location for a long time

When you purchase a home, you are committing to a certain location for a given period of time. You won’t want to break your mortgage unless it is really required, because doing so will result in harsh fines and charges. Mortgages don’t give nearly as much freedom as renting does if you’re not sure where you’ll be in five years or if you don’t want to settle down in the same city for a long period of time.

Conclusion

When it pertains to the age-old debate between renting and buying, there is no right or wrong response. Analyze the difference between home prices in your preferred neighborhood and rental prices before taking any further action. This will help you get a better picture of how much a mortgage might cost you compared to monthly rent payments.

You should also consider important issues like how stable your employment position is. How long do you intend to remain in your present location? Are you prepared to dedicate yourself to homeownership? Sincerity in your responses will help you decide whether you’re ready to move from renting to owning a home. Another thing to consider is how much debt you have. Renting or owning, this will have a big impact on your monthly budget. 

If you have incurred overwhelming debt and this is also impacting your budget each month with high interest, let EmpireOne Credit help you reduce all unsecured debt by up to 80%, stop all interest, and get the fresh start you deserve. Contact us for a free consultation.