If you spend any time on social media, you have probably seen the content. A creator standing in front of a rented apartment explaining why buying a home is a scam. A finance influencer breaking down why renting is always smarter than buying. Grant Cardone — one of the most followed names in real estate investing — has said publicly that buying a home is one of the worst investments you can make and that Americans should rent instead. Some of this content raises legitimate questions worth thinking about. But a lot of it is wrong, or at least deeply misleading for the average buyer in a market like Central Texas. Here is the other side of the argument.
The "Renting Is Always Smarter" Math Is Usually Cherry-Picked
The most common version of this argument goes something like this: if you take your down payment, invest it in the stock market instead, and rent forever, you come out ahead. On paper, in certain markets, over certain time periods, this can be technically true. The problem is that it assumes perfect behavior — that you will actually invest the difference every month, that the market will return what historical averages suggest, and that your rent will not increase significantly over time.
In Central Texas, that last assumption has not aged well. Austin rents increased dramatically through 2021 and 2022, and while they have pulled back from peak levels, the long-term trajectory of rent in a growing market is up. A fixed-rate mortgage, by contrast, locks in your principal and interest payment for 30 years. The person who bought a home in Austin in 2015 has a payment that looks nothing like what a renter in that same neighborhood is paying today.
Cardone also argues that rents are half the cost of a mortgage — but that comparison typically uses peak mortgage rates and high-end home prices. For a buyer purchasing a home in Buda or Kyle at today's median, the monthly payment is often comparable to or lower than renting an equivalent home in the same area.
Equity Is Real Wealth
Influencers who argue against homeownership tend to treat a mortgage payment as pure expense. It is not. A portion of every mortgage payment goes toward paying down principal — which is equity you own. Renters build no equity from monthly payments. Over time, that difference compounds significantly.
According to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances, the median net worth of a homeowner is roughly 40 times that of a renter. That gap is not entirely explained by income differences. Homeownership itself — the forced savings mechanism of building equity month after month — is one of the most reliable wealth-building tools available to ordinary people, and it has been for decades.
The Timing Argument Does Not Hold Up Either
Another common piece of influencer content goes like this: don't buy now, wait for the market to crash. This advice has been circulating since 2021. People who followed it have been waiting for years while prices in most Texas markets have remained elevated and rents have continued to climb.
The chart below shows the average median home sale price across Central Texas from 2010 through mid-2026, calculated from the Austin-Round Rock and San Antonio-New Braunfels MSA medians each year. Yes, there was a dramatic run-up to a peak in 2022 and a correction since. But zoom out and the story is clear — prices are up roughly 143% over 15 years. The peak-and-correction that influencers point to as proof the market is dangerous looks, in a 15-year view, like a bump in a consistent upward trend. The five labeled dots show where specific Central Texas cities sit today.
Timing the real estate market is as difficult as timing the stock market, and the people who consistently get it right are the exception, not the rule. What actually matters for most buyers is whether the payment is manageable, whether you plan to stay long enough to offset transaction costs, and whether the home fits their life.
What About Flexibility and Amenities?
Cardone argues that a 30-year mortgage is an inflexible commitment compared to a short-term lease, and that apartment amenities — pools, gyms, concierge services — make renting more attractive. These points are worth addressing directly.
On flexibility: a mortgage does not mean you are stuck. Homeowners sell, rent out their properties, or refinance all the time. A renter, on the other hand, is one non-renewal notice away from having to move on someone else's timeline with no financial stake in the outcome. The idea that renting is more flexible assumes a cooperative landlord and a stable rental market — neither of which can be guaranteed.
On amenities: apartment pools and gyms are real perks. So is building equity, controlling your own space, and not having to ask permission to paint a wall.
Why Renting Is Not Always the Better Choice
There are several realities about renting that the influencer content conveniently leaves out.
You are at the mercy of a landlord. When something breaks, you are on their timeline — not yours. A leaking roof, a broken HVAC in July, a plumbing issue — all of these require the landlord to prioritize your problem, which often does not happen quickly. Repairs that a homeowner can schedule and resolve in a day can take weeks or months when you are waiting on a property management company.
Rent increases are outside your control. Your landlord can raise your rent at renewal and there is nothing you can do except accept it or move. A fixed-rate mortgage payment does not change.
You cannot build the space into what you want. Renting limits what you can do to a property. Painting, renovations, landscaping, even hanging things on walls — all of it requires permission and often gets denied. Homeowners build a space that actually fits their life.
Eviction is a real risk. A landlord's financial troubles, a decision to sell, or a change in plans can end your tenancy with minimal notice regardless of how well you have paid your rent.
What the Influencers Are Getting Right
To be fair, the skepticism is not entirely misplaced. Buying a home you cannot afford is a real risk. Buying without proper due diligence can be a financial setback. Homeownership comes with costs that renters do not face — maintenance, property taxes, insurance, and repairs. These are real and they add up.
The argument worth taking seriously is not that homeownership is bad. It is that homeownership without preparation is risky. Buying more house than you need, skipping the inspection to waive contingencies in a competitive offer, or stretching your budget past what is comfortable — these are the decisions that turn a good investment into a stressful one.
The Inspection Is Part of Getting It Right
One of the most important parts of buying a home is knowing exactly what you are buying before you commit. An inspection does not kill deals — it gives buyers the information they need to make a confident decision. A home that has been thoroughly inspected is a home you understand. You know what is there, what needs attention, and what can wait. That clarity is worth more than the cost of the inspection many times over.
The influencers who say don't buy a home are not talking to the buyers who did their homework, bought within their means, and got a thorough inspection before closing. They are talking to the buyers who skipped steps. Don't skip steps.