Lots of people think they can’t afford to buy a home, so they rent. But in the long run, renting leaves you with nothing.
Renting
When you rent, you most likely don’t have to pay for repairs. You don’t (usually) have to pay for heat or hot water. When something breaks, you call the landlord, and it gets fixed. That spent lightbulb in the stairwell? Not your problem.
But that 50-year-old oven? You’re stuck with it. That ugly linoleum? Maybe they’ll let you change it, but probably at your own expense. And when you move, it’s not like you can take the new stuff with you. Instead, you raised the value of your apartment for your landlord with your own hard-earned money.
Is something broken? To get it fixed, you’re relying on their plumber or electrician, and their timeline.
Your rent money? It’s gone. You’re paying your landlord’s mortgage and property taxes and setting them up for retirement. We’re not trying to say your landlord is evil! They’re running a business, and maybe they’re fantastic to rent from. But when you run the numbers, it can pay to be your own landlord.
Buying
Yes, you have to pay for repairs, utilities, and maintaining your property. Yes, sometimes those repairs can be expensive.
But when you make those repairs, replace those broken cabinets, and swap out old appliances for energy-efficient ones, you’re maintaining and even increasing the value of your home. When you pay your mortgage every month, you’re not funding your landlord’s retirement. You’re building equity that you can leverage for your future. When you want to pay tuition for yourself or a loved one, start a business, or invest in something new, your equity is there for you to tap into. Or, you can, you know: use it to retire.
And if you buy property in an area that’s taking off? The chances are good that your property value will increase dramatically. Owning property is an amazing tool for building wealth. Try this: add your last twelve months of rent up in your head right now. That money isn’t yours anymore! That’s tough to think about. But what if, moving forward, you could put that money toward something that you actually own? Feels better, doesn’t it?
But, we know what you’re about to say: “This is all well and good, but I can’t afford to buy a home.” We get it, but let us counter with: can you really afford not to buy a home? We know it’s hard to get your foot in the door when it comes to real estate, but we literally exist to make it possible for people just like you. When you use PairGap to partner up and purchase property, you lower your individual costs, and you both gain equity that can help you build the future you want. It’s time to make your money work for you instead of for someone else.
