Should You Keep RentingOr Buy?
Both paths cost money every month. The question is which one pays you back — see the side-by-side over the years you actually plan to stay.
Rent vs Buy Calculator
After 5 years
Buying is cheaper by
$58,888
Projected Home Equity: $174,455
(Home Value: $463,710)
The honest comparison runs over years, not months
Month one, renting usually wins — owning carries closing costs and interest up front. Year five or ten, ownership typically turns the tables: part of every payment becomes yours as equity, while rent keeps paying your landlord's mortgage. Neither answer is wrong; the right one depends almost entirely on how long you will stay in the home and how stable your income feels.
Run the stretch you honestly expect to stay, not the best case. If the lines cross inside your real timeline, buying deserves a serious look — and the first-time-homebuyer programs can change the math again with down payment help.
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Talk to a real Arizona loan officer about what your numbers mean — no obligation, no credit impact to ask.
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