Renting vs Buying in Philadelphia in 2026 — The Honest Math

Renting vs buying in Philadelphia in 2026 — here's the honest math nobody shows you. In this video I break down the real cost of renting vs buying a home in Philly: what $1,700/month rent actually costs you, the real down payment (hint: it's not 20%), how much equity you build, and the 5-year rule that decides whether buying wins. If you're a first-time home buyer in Philadelphia trying to decide whether to rent or buy, this is the honest breakdown. 📅 Book a free call with Steve: https://calendly.com/buzogine/30min 🏠 Moving to Philadelphia? Download my Moving Guide: https://tinyurl.com/mwe2a6a 📲 Call/Text: 267-838-1800 📧 Email: [email protected] ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:10 Rent vs Buy in Philly 2026 01:11 What $1,700 rent really costs you 03:07 The real down payment (it's not 20%) 03:46 PITI: your true monthly payment 05:03 How much equity you actually build 06:50 The 5-year rule (break-even math) 08:51 When you SHOULD keep renting 10:00 When buying wins 10:30 The bottom line I'm Steve Buzogany, a Philadelphia real estate agent with over 13 years of experience helping first-time buyers and sellers. If you're thinking about buying your first home in Philly, reach out — I'm happy to help. #PhiladelphiaRealEstate #FirstTimeHomeBuyer #RentVsBuy