The eternal grown-up question, weighed in a few taps. This quiz looks at how long you plan to stay, what you have saved, what your local market looks like, and how much upkeep patience you have — then lands on rent, buy, or "honestly, it's close." It is a gut-check on the trade-offs, not a mortgage calculator.
Your answers nudge a verdict along a few well-known levers: a short expected stay leans toward renting, a long one and solid savings lean toward buying, a hot local market and thin cushion pull back toward renting, and low tolerance for maintenance headaches does too. No exact numbers are promised — the point is which direction the balance tips, and why, so you know what to go price out for real.
A "rent" verdict usually means the timeline or the cushion is not there yet — buying rewards staying put long enough to outrun the upfront costs. A "buy" verdict means the pieces line up, but it is a starting point, not a green light: run the actual numbers for your city, rate, and down payment before anything is signed. An "it's close" is genuinely useful information — it means either path is defensible and you can decide on lifestyle rather than spreadsheet.
Rates and terms move over time, and today's decision is not permanent. If you do buy, it helps to understand how you might adjust later — our explainer on how mortgage refinancing works covers when changing your loan can make sense down the road.
No. Buying tends to pay off when you stay long enough to absorb the upfront and selling costs, and when your finances have a cushion. For shorter stays or tight budgets, renting is often the smarter call.
The longer, the better — the key idea is staying put long enough that ownership outruns the sizeable one-time costs of buying and selling. A short horizon usually favours renting.
It means both paths are reasonable for you, so the deciding factor is lifestyle — flexibility versus roots — rather than the math. That is a good position to be in.
No. It points you in a direction. Before any decision, price out actual rents, home costs, rates, and your down payment for your specific market.
For entertainment and education — an educational self-assessment, not a diagnosis, and not financial advice. Run the real numbers, or talk to a qualified professional, before deciding.