It is cheaper to buy than rent in Okotoks!
This is my guest blog post for Karen Salmon, a superstar realtor in Okotoks. The numbers are surprising. Also note the tax savings at the bottom apply to ALL those who have a roommate!
Is it Cheaper to Rent or Buy in Okotoks?
March 19, 2013
Have you ever wondered if maybe you’d be better off buying than renting? I had Mark Herman of Mortgage Alliance run the numbers on buying either a starter home in Cimarron or a two bedroom condo in the Mesa.
Payments on a 2 story home at $305,000 would be $1,392 a month … that is lower than rent of $1,800 for the same home. Add in other costs of owning: property tax of $146, utilities of $250, and fire / home insurance at $40 a month, your monthly total would be $1828 a month! Only a difference of $28 a month ALL IN between renting and owing the same home! And now you can paint, hang pictures and make it your own place without a land lord getting fussed, or selling it on you and causing you to move again.
Payments on a condo at $220,000 would be $1,020 a month for the mortgage plus $318 condo fees, $125 property tax and say $150 for other utilities not covered by condo fees (totally realistic) then payments would be $1613 a month vs. renting at $1450. AND you own it and have stopped throwing rent funds out the window and are building equity. All this for only $163 more a month to own and not rent BUT ADD in this data below:
Tax Breaks on a Roommate: This condo is a 2 bedroom. If you have a renter then you can deduct ½ of the mortgage interest for the year and ½ of the condo fees and utilities as it is the cost of running an “investment property” that you just happen to live in. So in the end that would save you:
Half of the total yearly mortgage interest of $6183 /2 = $3091 + half the condo fees ($318 x 12 months /2 = 1908) = $4999 tax refund at the end of the year! Just for having a roommate. $4999/12 months = $416 in tax savings a month so then $1,613 a month, all in, to run the condo – $416 in tax savings = a total cost of $1,196 a month ALL IN or $250 / month LESS than renting the same place!
If you’d like more information about a mortgage, feel free to email mark at mark.herman(at)shaw.ca . If you’d like help buying a home in Okotoks, contact me!