#rent-vs-buy

Sub-3% mortgage rates made buying win at year 5 for most US markets. At 2026's 6.5%, that crossover has slid to year 9 — and renters who invest the down-payment delta often beat ownership over 10-year windows.

A rent-vs-buy calculator that only compares mortgage to rent is missing 60% of the math. Here are the seven lines that move the break-even year by 3-7 years when included honestly.