Money Talks

Your money questions, answered by Sam Beckbessinger, self-proclaimed ‘money dork’ and author of How to Manage Your Money Like a F*cking Grownup.

- Sam Beckbessinger

Is property still a good investment?

A: Deciding whether the property is a good investment for you comes down to your overall financial situation and the specific investment you’re considering. Investing in property could mean many things: buying a beach house that you plan to rent out on Airbnb, buying shares in a big real-estate company listed on the stock market, or buying the home you live in.

When it comes to buying your own home, it’s better to think of it as a long-term cost-saving tool than as an investment. Owning the property you live in usually works out cheaper than renting it, but only if you live in the same place for at least nine years (on average). To work out whether it will be cheaper to buy or rent the place you live in, just google ‘Rolling Alpha rent or buy calculator’. If you think you might move within the next decade, then it often works out cheaper to rent than to buy.