How do I run the buy-vs-rent math?

Running the buy-vs-rent math means comparing the full monthly cost of owning a specific home, mortgage, taxes, insurance, and maintenance, against a comparable rental, then weighing how long you plan to stay against how much of your payment builds equity versus how much a security deposit and rent increases would cost over that same period. A lender or agent can plug in real numbers rather than rough estimates. Brian Beatty can run this math against an actual property under consideration.