If you’re moving to New York City, one of the hardest decisions you’ll likely have to make is choosing between buying a home there or just renting one. Many different factors come into play when making this decision. Are you planning on staying in New York for a long time? Can you afford extra chargers such as utilities, food, entertainment, and property taxes? These are some of the common questions you should ask yourself before deciding if owning your home is worth it. It usually takes about 5.6 years in order to break even after buying a home in New York, so if you think you’ll be there that long or longer, buying may be worth it. To be sure, let’s take a look at some of the other benefits that come from both buying and renting in NYC.

Renting

While a lot of people say that renting is a waste of money in the long run, there are still plenty of perks that come with it, especially in a place like New York City. First off, by renting your home you can give the neighborhood or even the building you’re in a “test drive”. It gives you the chance to learn more about the area you’re in. Another great perk to renting is that in most situations the landlord will pay for most utilities outside of electricity and the internet. You may have to pay more for these units but overall this makes things like budgeting much easier. Renting also helps you get your money situation in order in case you ever decide you do want to buy.

Buying

One of the biggest perks of owning your home is the fact that you build equity. When you rent, the landlord builds equity, meaning you get nothing but the space you’re renting. Building equity is great because once the mortgage is paid off you can use that equity to borrow money for another large purchase in your life. Buying is also great because of the tax reductions you get, as well as the potential for the IRS not applying capital gains tax when you sell your house. Finally, the ultimate benefit of buying your home is the freedom you get. You can do whatever you want to your home when you own it, but when you rent it there are usually distinct boundaries.