Investment Insights

Rent and invest in the S&P 500 - with a ~$64,000 advantage over 10 years in expected value terms. However, this is sensitive to your location, risk tolerance, and non-financial factors. The decision could flip if you value homeownership benefits highly or if you're in a high-appreciation market.

From a pure expected value (EV) perspective with current rates and realistic long-term S&P assumptions, renting + investing generates a higher expected wealth outcome than buying the $400k home under neutral assumptions.

Deciding between buying a home and continuing to rent while investing is a major choice that depends on your personal financial goals and lifestyle. While there's no single 'right' answer, using a data-driven framework can help you compare the long-term financial outcomes of each path.

While the monthly costs are nearly identical, buying this home today would deplete **90% of your liquid savings**, leaving you dangerously exposed to "Cash Poor" risks (e.g., job loss, emergency repairs). The mathematical EV favors Buying slightly over 5+ years, but the **Survival Risk** in Year 1-2 makes Renting the rational choice until you save an additional **$30k–$50k**.

Based on a detailed financial model comparing the two options over a 10-year horizon, buying the $400k home is the smarter decision. It results in a projected net worth of approximately $339,000, compared to $298,000 for continuing to rent and investing in the S&P 500—a difference of about $41,000 in favor of buying. This accounts for leverage on the home investment, appreciation, tax benefits, and other factors, though renting offers more liquidity and less risk from real estate market fluctuations.