Considering Renting vs. Buying a House
Making the decision between renting vs. buying a home is a huge aspect of the American dream. After all, having a place to live where you can feel comfortable and secure is incredibly rewarding.
Image Source: Peakpx.com
For many individuals, the option to rent vs. buy is a huge decision that will impact your entire living situation depending on which you choose.
There are many factors that come into account when considering whether to rent or buy your next home.
Personal savings, economic factors, and your own personal life situation will all determine whether you should rent or buy a home.
In order to help you make a more informed decision on renting vs. buying a house, we’ve compiled a list of the top factors to keep in mind.
With the housing market at a decline of 63.4%, the lowest it’s been since the mid-1960s and with the ever-increasing prices of rent, this guide will help you determine whether it is better to rent or buy for your situation.
See Also: Top Cards & Best Ways to Apply for Credit Cards with Bad Credit or No Credit
Is It Better to Rent or Buy?
The biggest question that many Americans ask themselves is whether to rent or buy their new home.
There is no right answer to the rent vs. buy dilemma, as there are various factors that come into play.
Outside of the main factors that affect the rent vs. buy equation, there are simple issues that you must be prepared to deal with and get acquainted with. Taking the time to stroll through your new potential neighborhood is a great way to consider whether to rent or buy a house.
Meeting your potential new neighbors, scoping out the closest schools, police station, and fire department will all help your decision-making process.
You’ll quickly get an idea of whether to buy or rent in the neighborhood you have in mind.
Before making the investment to rent or buy it is important to know exactly what you’ll be getting for your money.
Top 6 Best Things to Consider: Renting vs. Buying | Brief Comparison
Rent vs. Buy Considerations | Brief Explanation |
| Appreciation | Tangible investment vs. rent payments |
| Closing costs | Appraisal, insurance |
| Credit score | Varies |
| Maintenance | Repairs & upkeep |
| Recurring costs | Loan payments, rent |
| Up-front costs | Down payment, security deposit |
Table: Top 6 Best Things to Consider: Renting vs. Buying a House | Above list is sorted alphabetically
All-in-One Change Management Tools
Top Rated Toolkit for Change Managers.
Get Your Change Management Tool Today...
FAQ Section
How can I compare the costs of renting vs. buying?
A buy or rent calculator is an excellent option for individuals looking to compare rates when considering whether to rent or buy a home.
A buy or rent calculator can provide you with cost estimates based on your area’s rental costs, mortgages, and how long you plan to reside in the home.
When comparing renting vs. buying, is it true that renting is cheaper overall?
When choosing between renting vs. buying a house there is no definite rate that you can apply to all situations.
Market fluctuations, neighborhood preferences (urban or suburban), and the economy all affect whether it is better to rent or buy.
When determining whether to buy or rent a house should I consider speaking to a mortgage broker?
When deciding between the option to rent or buy a home it can be especially helpful to contact a mortgage broker to determine different mortgage and leasing options for homes.
They can better direct in your quest to determine whether it is better to rent or buy for your situation.
Don’t Miss: Top Credit Cards to Build Credit | Ranking & Reviews | Credit Cards for Building Credit
Appreciation
When deciding whether to rent or buy a house, taking the appreciation into account will help in determining the better choice.
Simply put, when debating between the option to buy or rent, is important to understand that a house that is bought has a high chance to continue to increase in appreciation.
This means that your home’s value will continue to grow as you live there, helping your initial investment grow.
While it is not always a guarantee that your home appreciation will increase, it is a high probability as most homes increase by 4% to 6% annually.
Gaining Value
When debating the rent or buy question, home appreciation is a great pro to add on to the list of reasons to purchase a home.
While there is no way to determine the exact appreciation that your home will accumulate as it depends on home values in various areas, you can typically expect to grow on your initial investment.
When choosing to rent or buy a home, home appreciation can help you if you decide to sell as you can make more money than you initially put down.
Paying Another’s Investment
While determining whether to rent or buy a house, it is important to acknowledge that renting a home means that you will be paying off somebody else’s initial investment.
As you do not own the property, you will not gain any of the benefits of the property increasing in value or be able to take advantage of any home equity.
This is important to consider when choosing between the option to buy or rent.
Related: Tips to Investing in Land | Is Buying Land a Good Investment?
Closing Costs
There are different closing costs to take into consideration when debating between renting vs. buying a house.
The differences in costs between the two are important to note and you can get a better idea of both by using rent or buy calculator.
Rent or buy calculator can help you compare your rent vs. buy cost options by taking various fees and payments into account.
There are two main closing costs that are associated with the option to rent or buy: origination charges, etc. and abstract fees.
Homeowner Closing Costs
One of the biggest differences you’ll note when comparing rent vs. buy is the closing payment of a home.
There is a large number of closing cost fees that are associated with purchasing a home including:
- Origination charge
- Appraisal fee
- Home inspection
- Settlement fees
A rent or buy calculator can help you estimate the overall costs you could responsible for when deciding to purchase a home.
Renters Closing Costs
When deciding between the option to rent or buy a home, those considering renting will want to be aware of the closing costs associated with renting a home.
These include:
- Abstract fees
- Utility installation fees
- Legal fees
The best way to determine the closing cost differences between renting vs. buying a house is to use rent or buy calculator.
You can place in estimated costs and determine whether to buy or rent a house.
Credit Score
Your current credit score rating is one of the most important considerations when determining whether to buy or rent a house.
Your credit score will impact all your loan eligibility and lease terms. Depending on your credit score, your decision between renting vs. buying could be easier to make.
Homeowner Credit Score Requirements
When comparing renting vs. buying, it is important to be aware of the minimum credit score to be approved for a home loan.
Standard loan distributors such as Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac typically look for a credit score of 620 and require a 3.5% down payment.
Other lenders may approve a loan for a score lower than 620, but no lower than 580 for a 10% down payment.
This is important to take note of when deciding to rent or buy a home.
Renters Credit Score Requirements
On the other side of the rent vs. buy dilemma is the type of credit score necessary to be approved by a landlord.
Typically speaking, landlords are more likely to be lenient with credit scores than loan lenders, however, particularly low credit will throw them off.
Renters should consider having a credit score of at least 600, however, your credit score is not as heavily weighted as it is with a home purchase.
Depending on where your credit score currently sits you may already have a better idea of whether to rent or buy a home.
Popular Article: How to Invest in Commercial Real Estate | Investment for Beginners & Investors
Maintenance
Renting vs. buying pros and cons really come into play when considering the type of maintenance that is required for both residences.
When something in the home breaks, falls apart or is in need of updating, that is when the rent vs. buy question is really put to the test. Maintenance for both is handled in very opposite ways.
Maintenance for Homeowners
Choosing between renting vs. buying a house can be such a split decision, but maintenance is a factor that differs drastically between the two.
As a homeowner, you are responsible to repair everything that falls apart in your home. This means that you’ll have to set aside money in case something were to suddenly stop working or if your housing structure needed repair.
This is a huge weighing issue for those debating to rent or buy.
However, a huge plus side is that because you own the home you are able to make as many aesthetic and creative changes as you please while updating any equipment or house structures.
Maintenance for Renters
If you’re still trying to figure out whether to rent or buy a home and happen to like the advantage of having a landlord to take care of maintenance, then renting could be your best option.
When deciding if it is better to rent or buy, it may help that a landlord will be responsible to fix and pay for any issues that occur that are not due to renter negligence.
Recurring Costs
There are various types of recurring costs associated with both renting vs. buying a house. The best way to compare the costs to see which one will wind up being more affordable for you is to use a buy or rent calculator.
The buy or rent calculator will be your best bet in deciding which option makes the most sense financially for your lifestyle.
Homeowner Recurring Costs
Some of the recurring costs associated with owning a home include:
- Loan payments
- Property taxes
- Homeowners’ insurance
- Utilities
A rent or buy calculator can help you estimate the costs of all of your recurring payments and help you better decide where to buy or rent.
You could find that comparing rent vs. buy recurring costs could easily sway you in one direction or the other.
Renters Recurring Costs
The most common recurring costs for a home renter include:
- Monthly rent
- Renters’ insurance
- Utilities
The costs and types of payments associated with renting vs. buying vary in great nature. The only sure way to know which costs associated with renting vs. buying a house are best for you is to make good use of a buy or rent calculator.
With a rent or buy calculator you’ll be able to easily factor in all of the above costs as well as closing costs and up-front costs.
Read More: How to Make Money in Real Estate | Ways to Get into Real Estate and Make Money
Free Wealth & Finance Software - Get Yours Now ►
Up-front Costs
Up-front costs are different between renting vs. buying your choice of residence.
When comparing the option to rent or buy a home, it is quite obvious that renting a home comes with fewer up-front costs.
However, your up-front costs with a home will be purchasing you something that you will officially own after paying off your mortgage.
Down Payment
A down payment, when comparing rent vs. buy, is a percentage of your home’s cost that you must initially put down.
The amount that you put down depends on the purchasing agreement and type of loan that you have decided to take out.
Typically, in comparison to renting vs. buying, with a home purchase you’ll be expected to place a down payment of 3.5% to 20% of your home’s purchase amount.
Rent Security Deposit
When looking to rent or buy, many individuals overlook the fact that many landowners require a rent security deposit along with a first month’s rent.
A rent security deposit is meant to cover any possible damage that occurs while you reside in the home. Most states limit the security deposit to 1.5 times the monthly rent payment.
When deciding to buy or rent a house, the up-front costs of renting are obviously much lower than those associated with purchasing a home.
Conclusion—Top 6 Best Things to Consider: Renting vs. Buying a House
Image Source: Pexels
So, is it better to rent or buy? The answer to the renting vs. buying question is that it really depends on your personal situation.
There are tons of pros and cons to both renting vs. buying a house. In order to really know whether to rent vs. buy is to understand your financial situation to the fullest.
When deciding whether to rent or buy a home it is important to keep fees and costs in mind, monthly rent and whether you hope to gain a return with your investment.
With our comprehensive guideline on the top things to consider when deciding to rent or buy a home, you’ll have a better idea of which one of the renting vs. buying options is the better one for you.
AdvisoryHQ (AHQ) Disclaimer:
Reasonable efforts have been made by AdvisoryHQ to present accurate information, however all info is presented without warranty. Review AdvisoryHQ’s Terms for details. Also review each firm’s site for the most updated data, rates and info.
Note: Firms and products, including the one(s) reviewed above, may be AdvisoryHQ's affiliates. Click to view AdvisoryHQ's advertiser disclosures.