Episode
#89 - Buy a Home or Rent and Buy Bitcoin? That's the Question
- Published
- Jun 20, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 1738
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Summary
In this episode, I explore the financial decision of buying a home versus renting and investing the equivalent home deposit in Bitcoin, based on Australian housing and rental data as of May 31, 2025. The analysis assumes a 20% deposit for a median-priced home in Australia’s capital cities ($1,025,742), equating to $205,148.40, with the alternative being renting and investing that deposit in Bitcoin. Core Assumptions: Housing Market: Median house price in capital cities is $1,025,742 (Cotality, May 2025), with a 5% annual home price growth rate and a 5.5% mortgage interest rate. Rental Market: Median weekly rents vary (e.g., Sydney: $775/house, Melbourne: $580/house, Brisbane: $625/house, based on 2024–2025 data). Rent is paid without dipping into savings. Bitcoin Investment: The $205,148.40 deposit is invested in Bitcoin with assumed compound annual growth rates (CAGR) of 30% (conservative) or 40% (optimistic). Time Horizons: 5 and 10 years. Costs: Homeownership includes purchase and maintenance costs, reducing net capital value. Comparison : 5 Years : Buying: Net capital value $913,122.03 property equity after costs. Renting + Bitcoin: $934,246.74 gains minus rent. Difference : Renting + Bitcoin outperforms by ~$21,124.71 assuming Bitcoin achieves 40% CAGR. 10 Years : Buying: Net capital value $947,668.53 Renting + Bitcoin: $5,596,364.28 • • Difference : Renting + Bitcoin outperforms by ~$4,648,695.75, driven by Bitcoin’s high CAGR. Key Takeaways: Renting and investing in Bitcoin could yield higher returns than homeownership, especially over 10 years, if Bitcoin achieves a 30–40% CAGR. However, Bitcoin’s volatility contrasts with the stability of property, and the decision depends on risk tolerance, market conditions, and lifestyle preferences. The episode highlights…