Compare the true 10-year cost of buying vs renting, including all the hidden costs of ownership (maintenance, taxes, insurance) and the opportunity cost of tying up your down payment.
A mortgage payment is only one line of ownership. Property taxes, insurance, PMI, maintenance (roof, HVAC, appliances), and transaction costs (agent commission when selling) can easily add 40–50% to your monthly cost. Renters have none of those.
If you didn't put $100,000 into a house, you could invest it. At a 7% return, that $100,000 grows to about $196,000 in ten years. This calculator counts that foregone growth as a cost of buying.
Long time horizons (7+ years), stable income, low rent-to-price ratios (rent under 5% of home value annually), and strong appreciation markets. Buying rarely wins for stays under 5 years.