Renting vs Buying A Home (When You're A High Earner)

NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

NerdWallet Personal Finance

Investing, Education, Business, How To

4.3 • 892 Ratings

🗓️ 25 May 2026

⏱️ 26 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Learn what really goes into the rent versus buy decision beyond comparing your mortgage to a rent check. In this special episode, Your Next Dollar host Andrew Giancola walks through a step-by-step total cost of ownership framework to help you weigh the real numbers behind renting versus buying a home. Then, he reacts to two videos that take very different sides of the rent versus buy debate. Follow Your Next Dollar on your favorite podcast app: https://play.megaphone.fm/mzdq8dj_trg1b0mlqpvhsq Reaction video 1: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yv3twR9m_Tg Reaction video 2: https://www.tiktok.com/@steven/video/7601133303608921366 Interested in working with a financial advisor? Visit nerdwalletwealthpartners.com NerdWallet Wealth Partners LLC (NWWP) is a SEC registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training, nor does it constitute an endorsement by any securities regulator. The content presented by NWWP on its Your Next Dollar podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as personalized investment, tax, or legal advice to any person. The views, strategies, examples, and figures discussed are intended to be general in nature, subject to change at any time based upon market or other conditions and may not be suitable for every individual. Any hypothetical illustrations used are for educational purposes only and do not represent a guarantee or prediction of future results. All investments carry risk, including the potential loss of principal, and past performance is not a guarantee of future results. NWWP's investment advisory services are only offered where NWWP and its representatives are registered. Before making any financial decision, seek advice from a qualified investment, tax, or legal professional. Want us to review your budget on Smart Money? Fill out this form — completely anonymously if you want — and we might feature your budget in a future segment! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScK53yAufsc4v5UpghhVfxtk2MoyooHzlSIRBnRxUPl3hKBig/viewform?usp=header To send the Nerds your money questions, call or text the Nerd hotline at 901-730-6373 or email podcast@nerdwallet.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey Elizabeth, we have to talk about the newsletter.
0:04.0	What newsletter are you talking about, Sean? You mean the new, free, smart money email newsletter?
0:08.6	Yes, and I have to say it is so good.
0:11.4	It really is. It has clips, episode roundups, and behind the scenes takes from me, you, and our producer, the stuff that makes you feel like you're really part of the show.
0:20.4	And listeners, for the record, you actually are part of the show.
0:23.7	I'm going to be sharing personal stuff.
0:25.4	You know, I love sharing my business, and I'm going to be sharing parenting tips from an eight-year-old and a single mom perspective.
0:31.5	And I am loading up the newsletter with my favorite gardening tips and lots of cute photos from my garden, including my pets,
0:38.4	just napping among my flower beds. It's kind of adorable. And the best part is that this newsletter
0:43.8	is totally free. So head to nerdwollet.com slash podcast to sign up. For the record, that's
0:49.4	nerdwollet.com slash podcast. Come hang out with us. Hey, smart smart money listener we're off today for memorial day
0:57.0	but we'll be back on thursday with a brand new episode in the meantime we're going to play you
1:01.9	an episode that we think you'll enjoy from your next dollar the brand new podcast from nervalet
1:06.8	wealth partners enjoy today on your next dollar we're diving into one of the biggest
1:12.8	decisions that you can make with your money. Should you rent a home or should you buy a home?
1:17.7	And making this decision based on emotion rather than math can have significant financial
1:22.2	consequences over time. Now, many people approach this question with a gut feeling. They feel as though they
1:28.9	should be buying a home and renting is throwing money away. But today, we're going to break this
1:33.9	down and show you step by step exactly how to think about this question for your financial
1:39.3	situation. Because sometimes it's going to make sense to buy a house based on some of the lifestyle decisions you want to make. And sometimes it's going to make sense to buy a house based on some of the lifestyle decisions you want to make.
1:45.8	And sometimes it's going to make sense to rent based on certain circumstances.
1:50.6	Welcome to your next dollar powered by Nerd Wallet Wealth Partners,
	...

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