BIGLY
The Great Housing Shift: Renting vs. Owning in 2026 How the math has changed since 2022. If you feel like your bank account is under siege every time the first of the month rolls around, you aren't imagining things. Whether you're writing a check to a landlord or a mortgage servicer, the financial landscape has shifted dramatically since 2022. But as we settle into 2026, the "Rent vs. Buy" debate has taken some surprising turns. Here is the breakdown of how costs have evolved over the last four years and where the math stands today. The 2022 Flashback: A Different World Four years ago, the housing market was in a state of pandemic-fueled frenzy. Interest rates were at historic lows, making debt "cheap," even as prices began to climb. Owning: Mortgage rates were hovering between 3.5% and 4.5% . While home prices were rising, those low rates kept monthly payments relatively ma...