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Rent vs. Buy
Mathematical analysis: Should you rent or buy in the current market?
Analysis Report
Rent vs. Buy
2/22/2026
SmartLoansAnalysis.com
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Analysis
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How to Use & Insights
Is it Better to Rent or Buy?
The old advice "renting is throwing money away" is mathematically false in many markets. This calculator compares the total unrecoverable costs of renting vs. buying over time.
The 5% Rule
A quick rule of thumb: If the annual rent is less than 5% of the home's purchase price, renting is likely the better financial decision.