Latest / Military Real Estate Rookie Show / Buy Or Rent In 2026

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Buy Or Rent In 2026 · Military Real Estate Rookie Show

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, welcome to the Military Rookie Real Estate Rookie Show.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Rena.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: Today's topic is it's a topic that I know everyone is kind of like wondering what I should do as far as should you buy a house in 2026 or keep renting.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: So this topic is new because I wanted to make sure that you guys understand that it doesn't matter what year it is, it just matters what you're comfortable with.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: So I am going to go over some things to think about.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: Should you buy a house in 2026?
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: Let's settle this argument once and for all.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: Should I buy in 2026 or should I just keep renting?
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: And before somebody jumps in my comments saying, bye, renting is throwing away money.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Hold on.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: And before somebody asks, never buy, rent gives you freedom.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: And you just never know anybody's circumstances.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: So, because guess what?
• 1:07
  SPEAKER_00: Neither answer is automatically right for everybody.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: And the real question is: what makes financial sense to you?
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: And today we're going to talk about the numbers.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: Not TikTok, not somebody's uncle who bought a house in 1998 for$75,000.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: Not your cousin who says, girl, interest rates are going down next year.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Just wait.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_00: No, we're not doing that.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: We're talking about the actual cost of buying versus renting.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: And we're going to look at the numbers.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: We're going to look at mortgage payments, interest rates, taxes, insurance, maintenance, closing cost, rent increases, equity, flexibility, and what happens if you move.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_00: So we're going to go over all of these things.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: And so I want to make sure that you guys understand what you're actually getting into.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so I'm your host, Serena Barron.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: So grab your calculator, grab some coffee of your beverage to thinking, because today we're talking about the numbers.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: The numbers.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: So grab a pad, grab calculator, write, write something down because you're gonna, if you're thinking about buying something in 2026, this episode is going to make sure that you do the right thing and you're educated when you're making these decisions.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as of September 17, 2026, Freddie Mac's national average mortgage rate is now 6.95%.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: That's up from 6.26 a year ago.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: And that's important because interest rates have a huge effect on your monthly payment.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: At the same time, you're seeing more inventory nationally, right?
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_00: It's a buyer's market, in my opinion.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: And the NAR, the National Association for Realtors, reported that Augusta, August existing home inventory reached millions of home with 4.9 months of supply, while the medium price was about$4290,000 for a home.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: So buyers are dealing with an interesting environment.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_00: Rates are high, but inventory has improved.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: It has exploded.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: And that can create more opportunity to negotiate in some massive wealth.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: But here's the thing: national numbers don't tell you exactly what's going on.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: Like the cities like Tampa, Savannah, Atlanta, or wherever you want to buy.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_00: Real estate is local.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: So you don't let a national headline make your decision for you.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: You know, because that could be very interesting because you don't want to just make that decision based on a whole gap of just, hey, this is what's happening in the world, but it's not going down locally.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say you're renting, your rent is$2,000 a month.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_00: Pretty simple, right?
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: And you pay about$2,000 and you live there.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: You don't usually have to worry about replacing the roof.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: You don't own the HVAC.
• 4:24
  SPEAKER_00: The landlord handles qualifying repairs on the lease, so you don't have to worry about any of that.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: And if you get transferred, you may have just some flexibility depending on your lease.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_00: If you're in the military, they usually work with you.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: That's a big advantage, especially in the military.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Renting can make sense for a lot of people.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: So it's not always good to buy.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: You have it depends on your situation.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: May move soon, aren't really financial, need flexibilities, don't want maintenance responsibilities, and are still saving for a down payment and closing costs, right?
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's very smart.
• 5:00
  SPEAKER_00: And don't expect to stay in the property long enough for buying costs to make sense.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: So those are some rental habits or wants that you probably need, or make sure that you have some type of option to move out.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: But here's the other side, right?
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: The other side is your rent payment isn't building ownership equity in the property, right?
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: You're paying this monthly fee every month on time, but you can't even write it off, or you can't even place it on anything that say you paid this and it's going to give you some type of credit.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, some apps have that, but for the most part, it's not going to make a difference.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: You're paying for housing, and that's okay.
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: Renting is automatically a bading isn't automatically a bad financial decision.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: But you need to understand what you're getting to for that payment.
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: Now, this is going to be really good, guys.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about buying, right?
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say you find a house, it's$300,000, you decide to buy versus rent, and okay,$300,000 divided by 30 years.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_00: No, no, that's not how you do it.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: $300,000 divided by 30.
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_00: That's not how you calculate it, right?
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't work like that because your mortgage payment includes more than just paying back amount you borrow.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, let's make sure you understand it.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: You got the principal, the interest rate, you have property taxes, you have home ownership, you have HOA dues, and then there's maintenance, right?
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: So those are some potential add-ons when you're buying a house.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: So your actual housing costs can be much much higher than that.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: So my mortgage is$1,900.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: This is why I tell buyers, don't compare rent to principal interest alone.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_00: Compare rent to the true cost of ownership.
• 7:02
  SPEAKER_00: So we're gonna get into it.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: So we're gonna get an example going and let's do an example, okay?
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: So let's pretend you're buying a house for$300,000, like I said, and let's say you're financing$300, you know, for just you're financing it, and at around 7%, the principal interest payment is roughly$1,906 per month.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: $1,996 per month.
• 7:30
  SPEAKER_00: That's based on a 30-year mortgage, fixed loan, and doesn't include taxes or insurance.
• 7:37
  SPEAKER_00: Freddie Mac's mortgage payment example shows how even the small rate difference affects the principal and the interest payment.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's add the property taxes, right?
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: We checked out the property taxes, the insurance, the potential HOA maintenance, and suddenly that's around$1,996 mortgage.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: Could become a much, much larger monthly house expense.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_00: And that's the number you need to understand because you just can't say, hey, I'm gonna buy this$300,000 house and expect to divide it amongst 30, 30 years.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: It doesn't work like that, okay?
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: So the space people forget most of the time is maintenance, maintenance, maintenance, maintenance.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, things, repairs, all the things.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: So we're gonna get into that because renters do not have to worry about maintenance.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: Most of the time, apartment complexes they take care of all the repairs.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: The air conditioner broke, call the landlord.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you need an HVAC, call the landlord.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: You know, the plumbing doesn't work, call the landlord.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to worry about that because it's on them to make those repairs.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: Now, homeowners is a bit different.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_00: The air conditioner broke, you are the landlord, you have to fix it.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: The plumbing doesn't work, the water leak, you are the homeowner.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: It's your responsibility to fix all of that.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're in a coastal Georgia, you already know how important the HVAC system can be.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: Trust me on this one, right?
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: It's going to need repairs.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's a 10-year-old unit.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: By the time it hits 11 years, you're gonna need another HVAC.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so you're the homeowner, you're gonna be responsible.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_00: You cannot call the landlord because you don't have a landlord, it belongs to you, the house belongs to you.
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: And then a couple more things: roof repairs, plumbing, appliances, electric, landscaping, pest control, exterior maintenance, and unexpected repairs.
• 9:45
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, this is what a homeowner goes through.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: They cannot call anybody else, they have to make sure they have that covered expense.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_00: You don't necessarily have to spend thousands every month.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not trying to scare you out of buying a home, but these are some things that happen, you know, that the cost of living in a home.
• 10:03
  SPEAKER_00: But you need to have money set aside for these things that eventually break.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: Now, let's talk about home ownership requires what I just told you reserves.
• 10:14
  SPEAKER_00: It needs you need to have reserves because it's going to happen.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's going to rain.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: Trust me, it's going to rain.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: But I'm building equity.
• 10:22
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, you are building equity.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, and we're going to get into that.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_00: This is one of the major differences between renting and owning.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: When you own a home and make mortgage payments, part of the payment can go toward reducing your loan balance.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_00: You know, that's the principle.
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_00: Over time, that builds up equity.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: And if the home value rises, your equity can potentially increase further.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: But, and this is important home values don't come with a guaranteed return.
• 10:55
  SPEAKER_00: Market goes up, market goes down.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: Some properties appreciate faster than others, some barely move, some decline.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I don't want you to buy a house simply because someone tells you real estate always goes up in town.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: This is a funny business, you know, and there are no guarantees.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so just think about that.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: It goes up and down, and there's no guarantees.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the next thing I want to talk about is the closing cost reality check.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_00: A lot of homeowners are not familiar with closing costs.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: So I wanted to educate you as potential homeowners about closing costs.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: You know, this is another thing renters sometimes don't think about.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: Buying a house costs money before you even move in.
• 11:46
  SPEAKER_00: You can have loan costs, title related charges, appraisals, inspections, recording fees, prepaid taxes, insurances, escrow deposits, other closing costs.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: And sellers have their own transaction expense.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: So if you buy a house and sell it shortly after, you may have paid a significant transaction cost on the way in, potentially on the way out.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: That's one reason the length of time you expect to own the property matters.
• 12:23
  SPEAKER_00: It's the way to build up the equity while you're paying the home off.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: So this is for my military listeners.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: This one is for you.
• 12:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's talk to you, military listeners, uh veterans, because this is where the conversation changes.
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: You might say, Rena, I'm getting a PCS order, or I'm not sure where I'll be in two years.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: I don't even know if I'm staying in this area.
• 12:52
  SPEAKER_00: That's important because buying isn't just about can I afford a house?
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's about you also need to ask, how long am I realistically going to own the house?
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: And what happens if I move?
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: Could you rent it?
• 13:12
  SPEAKER_00: Could could could I do I know anybody that needs to rent it?
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: Would the property work as a rental?
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: Would you hire a property manager?
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_00: Would selling make sense?
• 13:23
  SPEAKER_00: Do you have enough reserves to handle vacancies or repairs?
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: Those questions matter.
• 13:29
  SPEAKER_00: That's the thing that you have to say because as a military member, you already know that your chances of PCSing, permanent change of duty will happen eventually.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, just refinance later, you know, and this is something that I want to talk to you guys about too.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: I know we just talked about hey, do I qualify for you know handling the rents and all the things and hiring the property manager?
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_00: But one of the other segments is can I refinance later trap?
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, I hear this one all the time with my clients, right?
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: Rates are high, but I'll just refinance later.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe, but here's the problem: a future refinance finance is not guaranteed.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_00: You don't know exactly what rate will be, you don't know what your house value will be, you don't know what financial situation will look like.
• 14:22
  SPEAKER_00: You should be comfortable with transaction based on your numbers today.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: If you're comfortable and if the rates are great and you want to refinance, that's fine later.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_00: But when you are in the middle of transaction and you're comfortable, please be comfortable what's available today.
• 14:40
  SPEAKER_00: And if refinance and later become beneficial, great.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: That's wonderful.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, honestly, you know, that's just your advantage, that's a future opportunity.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: But don't make today's purchase depend entirely on tomorrow's unknown.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so that's something that you all as potential buyers need to understand.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_00: Now, when renting makes sense, let's go back to renting because I don't want to just be harping on you know home ownership and all the things.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_00: So let's be fair.
• 15:14
  SPEAKER_00: There are situations where renting may make sense.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_00: For example, you expect to move soon.
• 15:21
  SPEAKER_00: If you're pretty sure you're relocating in a year or two, buying may not fit your plan.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have emergency savings, owning without reserves can be stressful.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_00: Your income is unstable.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_00: You may want more financial flexibility, you don't know where you want to live.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_00: That's okay.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to rush into home ownership, you carry expensive debt.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes paying down high interest debt and strengthening your finances can be a priority before purchasing.
• 15:56
  SPEAKER_00: The point is, home ownership is where you're at now, what you feel comfortable with, and what's your situation.
• 16:04
  SPEAKER_00: You know, home ownership is not a race, it's a marathon.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: Okay?
• 16:10
  SPEAKER_00: So with that, let's talk about when buying makes sense.
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_00: On the other hand, buying can make sense when you are expected to stay there for long periods of time.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_00: You love the location, you're thinking about retiring, you have a stable income, you have money available for closing their reserve military members, too.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_00: You understand the monthly costs you want to control comes with ownership, right?
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: You want the control that comes with ownership, you're comfortable with the maintenance and the repairs, and you found a property that fits your financial situation, not just your Pinterest board.
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_00: So I just want to make sure everybody understands that you're comfortable with the financial situation that you have because that is a major component, not just going out there willy-nilly and buying something that you'll later regret.
• 17:10
  SPEAKER_00: So let's play buy a rent.
• 17:13
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, let's let's have some fun.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so I'm gonna give you scenarios.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, person one, you're 24, you're single, you just started a new job, you may re-relocate within 18 months, you have$3,000 saved, rent is$1,700.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_00: Buy or rent.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: Well, there are reasons renting may provide you know more flexibility here, but that's a personal financial decision.
• 17:45
  SPEAKER_00: So if you are thinking about that, versus buy or rent, you like I said, it's your financial decision.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so you're not right or you're not wrong.
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: Person number two, you're married, you've been in the same area for five years.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_00: You have a stable income, you have emergency savings, you plan to stay at least five more years, you find a home that fits your budget.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_00: Should you buy or rent?
• 18:12
  SPEAKER_00: Now, buying may be worth seriously evaluating on this situation because you have stable income, you have emergency savings, and you're gonna stay there for at least five years, and you find a home within your budget.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, why not buy?
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_00: I think this is a great time to buy.
• 18:28
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_00: Number three is you're moving in six months.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_00: You don't know where you'll be stationed at, and you have little savings and you're considering buying because everybody says renting is throwing away money.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_00: My response, hmm, slow down.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_00: Just because everybody is saying you're throwing away money, you need to look at your own financial situation.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_00: And because you can go ahead and buy, but are you really ready, right?
• 18:55
  SPEAKER_00: Because you don't know what your future, because you're in the middle of you know, moving and trying to find out and figure out your life.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: So I would think I would be renting.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_00: So just think about those two types of scenarios, right?
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_00: You don't always have to buy a house every time you, you know, move to a new duty station and you know you're not gonna be there a very long time, but you know, renting also helps as well.
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the five number tests.
• 19:25
  SPEAKER_00: Here's my simple framework, you guys.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_00: Before you decide between renting and buying, calculate these five numbers, right?
• 19:34
  SPEAKER_00: So here we go.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: Number one, monthly rent.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_00: Number two, true monthly cost of owning, not just principal and interest, everything, right?
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_00: We went over all the steps, all the things that you're gonna have to have when you're buying.
• 19:54
  SPEAKER_00: And number three is cash required to buy.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_00: That is a a situation where you talk to a lender and get exactly the amount that you think that will need in order for it to buy.
• 20:05
  SPEAKER_00: And the lender will most likely go over all the things, but you need some reserves and et cetera, you know, down payment and all the things.
• 20:12
  SPEAKER_00: So I would reach out to a lender and get that information ahead of time.
• 20:18
  SPEAKER_00: Closing costs and the prepaids, inspections, appraisals, moving costs, etc.
• 20:25
  SPEAKER_00: So you want to make sure that you have those things already set up and the funds are in your account because it can be a stressful situation when you don't have those funds in your account, okay?
• 20:37
  SPEAKER_00: Emergency reserves after closing.
• 20:39
  SPEAKER_00: Although you have those funding, those funds um in your account, but you also need emergency reserves after closing because stuff happens.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_00: It rains, it's going to rain.
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_00: So you need to make sure that you have at least emergency reserve for at least a month or so to make sure that you're good so you can sleep at night, okay?
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_00: Don't spend every dollar you have just to get keys.
• 21:05
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so that is one thing I really want to reach out to you all to say don't spend every dollar just to have a home.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, you walk out of clothing and your dad broke, you can't even go to lunch.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_00: So I want to make sure you guys understand because the science would be there, right?
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, yeah, I got these keys, but I don't even have gas money.
• 21:26
  SPEAKER_00: So, how long do you expect to stay?
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_00: That's number five.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_00: That's a big one.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: Because, like I said, if you're not staying long term and you're only staying there for a brief amount of time, you have to think about it.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: That's a lot of monies you just spent in that house, on that house, and you're gonna move in the next six months.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_00: And another part of this story is don't forget the opportunity cost.
• 21:52
  SPEAKER_00: And here's here's more advanced concepts, right?
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_00: If you put$20,000 into buying a house and that$20,000 Isn't available for something else.
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe you could have paid down debt, built an emergency fund, invested, started a business, brought another asset that's called opportunity cost, right?
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_00: So the question isn't simply, can I buy?
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, you probably could buy.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_00: But is it buying the best use of my money right at this very moment?
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_00: You know, that's much, much better question.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_00: You should be asking yourself as a potential home buyer or even thinking about it.
• 22:37
  SPEAKER_00: Is buying the best use of my money right now?
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: So I hope this segment of my military real estate rookie show educated you all on renting versus buying 2026.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_00: And my 2026 rookie rule is here's today's military rookie real estate rookie rule.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_00: Don't buy because you're afraid you missed the market.
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_00: Don't buy when someone said, Oh, you better buy versus rent.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_00: And don't rent because you're afraid to buy.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_00: Don't let fear make the decision.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_00: When you're ready, you'll know that you're ready.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_00: You know, don't take your last and buy a home.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_00: You know, have those proper reserves that's coming.
• 23:23
  SPEAKER_00: And you can, you know, carefully, you know, make sure that you have those things and you're comfortable.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_00: Look at your income, look at your debt, look at your savings, look at your timeline that you're going to stay in a particular area.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_00: Look at your location, your monthly payment, everything.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, sit at the kitchen table and just look at all your finances and say, okay, I think I can comfortable do this.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_00: I think I can buy.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_00: Your future plans is very important.
• 23:53
  SPEAKER_00: What do you want to do in your next six to 12 months?
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: Then make the decision that fits your situation.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_00: Do not go with the Joneses because they bought a house.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_00: So you're gonna go and buy you a house, right?
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: So you don't know their entire situation.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_00: So don't be like the Joneses.
• 24:13
  SPEAKER_00: Your financial situation matters.
• 24:16
  SPEAKER_00: Then make the decision that fits your situation, right?
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: And here's what's interesting about the market where we're in right now.
• 24:25
  SPEAKER_00: Market rates are around 7%, I would say.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: Inventory is higher than it was a year ago.
• 24:33
  SPEAKER_00: And national market conditions are becoming more balanced.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_00: Real.com is also projecting the week of September 27th through August 3rd of 2026 as its national identified best week to buy based on its analysis, season, inventory, pricing, competition, and market conditions.
• 24:58
  SPEAKER_00: But here's my reminder for you all military real estate rookies: there is no magic week that guarantees you a great deal, and there is no magic interest rate that guarantees you you should buy right now.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_00: Your local market and your personal finances matter.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_00: So that's the big question.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_00: So should you buy a house in 2026 or keep renting?
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_00: Here's my answer: run your numbers.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_00: If buying fits your finances, timelines, and goals, explore it.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_00: If renting gives you flexibility and financial stability you need right now and peace, that's a legitimate choice, too.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_00: The goal isn't simply to become a homeowner.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_00: The goal is to become a financial prepared homeowner if and when home ownership makes sense.
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_00: Okay?
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_00: So now I want you to participate in this conversation.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_00: I want you to send this episode to somebody who's currently saying, should I buy or should I rent?
• 26:10
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's your military spouse, maybe it's a veteran friend, maybe it's your daughter or your son, maybe it's a coworker, maybe it's you.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_00: And if you're listening and you're stuck between buying and renting, send me a question.
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_00: Tell me, Rena, here's my situation.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_00: What numbers should I be looking at?
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to keep bringing your practical real estate conversations, not just because it's a pretty picture and sold signs, because buying a home is a big financial decision.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_00: You hear me, guys?
• 26:45
  SPEAKER_00: And you deserve to understand the numbers.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're interested in anything regarding my show, my episode, follow me on Military Real Estate Rookie.
• 26:56
  SPEAKER_00: Leave me a five-star review.
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_00: Share this episode with a friend, and make sure you come back for the next episode of Military Real Estate Rookie.
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_00: Okay?
• 27:08
  SPEAKER_00: So at the end of the day, there's no trophy for buying a house before you're ready.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_00: And there's no shame in renting while you get your finances together.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_00: Real estate is personal and your time is personal.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_00: Your finances is personal and your goals are personal.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_00: So don't let anyone tell you your timeline because that would be your financial problem.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Rena Barron, your host of the Military Real Estate Rookie, and thank you for listening.
• 27:40
  SPEAKER_00: If this episode helped you as a renter or a buyer a little differently, follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs it to hear it.
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_00: And remember, don't just buy real estate.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_00: Understand the real estate.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_00: And I'll see you on the next episode, Military Real Estate Rookie.