Renting vs Buying
Make an informed decision
Should you rent or buy?
In the Seattle area, homes are not cheap, but rents are also high and continue to rise. How do you decide what is the best option for you with your long-term goals in mind?
Getting started
What are the factors to consider?
- Home and rent prices.
- How long do you plan to stay?
- What are the mortgage details?
- What do we think will happen in the future?
But what about down payments?
You do NOT need to put down 20% to buy a home. According to the National Association of Realtors, first-time buyers average just a 6% down payment when purchasing their home.
Curious to learn more about down payments and the home buying process? We hold monthly virtual first-time buyer seminars that will answer all of your questions.
1. Home and rent prices.
Here are the current prices in King County, Washington:
King County Average Rent: 3 Bedroom
$3,850
Last updated: October 2025
King County Average Home Sale Price
$850,000
Last updated: October 2025
2. How long do you plan to stay?
We know that a lot of people are relocating to Seattle because the Pacific Northwest is an amazing place to call home, and, of course, because of the great jobs here. We work with clients like this all of the time. Some of those people stay and make Seattle their forever home, and some move back after just a few years. The longer you stay, the more attractive buying becomes.
3. What are the mortgage details?
The down payment, mortgage rate, and the length/type of mortgage all matter here. Most buyers use a fixed-rate 30-year mortgage, because that is often the best balance of cost, flexibility, and risk. As far as the down payment is concerned, that depends on how much money you have saved or can borrow from a family member. The mortgage rate has a huge impact on how much you can afford.
4. What do we think will happen in the future?
There are a lot of factors and inputs that can have an impact on the long-term outcome of your decision to rent or buy. Many of these things are hard to predict – inflation rate, home price growth rate – but if we can show you just one graph to persuade you (caveat that past performance does not indicate or guarantee future outcomes and we are not in possession of an omniscient crystal ball)…
This chart shows median sales prices in King County, Washington, from January 2006 to September 2025. This incorporates all single-family and condominium sales in this time period.
The median sale price in January 2006: $339,950.
The median sale price in September 2025: $860,000.
We’ll work together to help you realize your goal of homeownership
First-time buyer
Making the transition from renting to buying is a big step. You deserve to have an experienced real estate team supporting you every step of the way.
Where Do We Help Home Buyers in the Seattle area?
Seattle and King County
Our team has worked with buyers of homes, townhomes, and condos in the following areas: Bothell, Covington, Auburn, Everett, Issaquah, Kirkland, Bellevue, Kent, Lake Stevens, Duvall, Lynnwood, Maple Valley, Sammamish, Edmonds, North Bend, Shoreline, Renton, Federal Way, Burien, Snohomish, Lake Forest Park, SeaTac, Newcastle, Seattle, Des Moines, Snoqualmie, Normandy Park, Sultan, Tacoma, and Tukwila.
Long-term investment
Why we recommend home buying
1. Control.
You can do what you want (paint colors, landscaping, appliances, etc), and know that you’re not spending your time and money making changes that you’ll have to undo before your next apartment move. Oh, and you won’t be moving!
2. Mortgage Payment Stays The Same, Rents Will (Likely) Rise.
If you get a fixed-rate mortgage, your mortgage payment will not change. Meanwhile, the rent will likely increase, and this stability in your mortgage payment gives you more control of your household budget.
3. Tax Benefits
The tax code is preferential to homeowners. You may be able to deduct a portion of your mortgage interest, and other benefits.
OUR TRACK RECORD
20+
Years of Experience
150+
5-Star Reviews
500+
Homes Sold
MEET THE JANUSGROUP
Expertise and heart: the JanusGroup way since 2005
Our real estate team provides a transparent, compassionate, and dare we say fun experience for buyers, sellers, and investors of residential real estate across the Seattle area.
Thankful to Aaron and the JanusGroup for a wonderful, successful experience.
A daunting notion to relocate from far away to Seattle, and not knowing the area or current real estate market made our stress heightened. Enter Aaron and his team!
Simply stated… a five star experience in terms of professionalism, local market knowledge, quite personable and always responsive.
In the end, we captured a beautiful home, and the closing experience couldn’t have been smoother.
Thankful to Aaron and the JanusGroup for a wonderful, successful experience.
Start your journey
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