Homeownership More Affordable Than Renting in 72% of Major US Cities

It is more affordable to buy than to rent a two-bedroom home in 72 percent of America’s 50 largest cities, according to Trulia.com’s latest Rent vs. Buy Index. Meanwhile, a nation of renters has emerged as more Americans rent by choice or due to unforeseen financial difficulties.  In contrast to this nationwide trend, renting is only less expensive than buying in four of the cities included in this study – namely New York, Seattle, Kansas City, and San Francisco.  The remaining 10 cities are locations where buying still may be a financially sound long-term decision, despite the relative affordability of renting.

Cities overwhelmed by foreclosure filings and unemployment, including many cities in Florida, Arizona, Nevada and central California, typically correspond to more affordable markets for prospective buyers; however, there are exceptions. Oakland and Los Angeles, which are experiencing similar rates of unemployment or foreclosure filings as Phoenix, Miami, and Sacramento, still are more affordable to renters. Moreover, close proximity to economic centers with promising job growth projections has propped up both the demand for homes and costs of homeownership in Oakland and Los Angeles.

Although owning a home is relatively more affordable in most cities, market conditions have caused an interesting demographic swap between traditional renters and buyers," said Tara-Nicholle Nelson, Consumer educator for Trulia. "For example, lifelong renters are seizing the opportunity to become homeowners while affordability is high. At the same time, a growing number of long-time homeowners are finding themselves tenants--some by choice and others by necessity."

Is it time for you to buy a new home? Contact Carylee Stone: 858-344-2632, carylee@stonehometeam.com.