Renters in England could miss out on £338,170 in potential wealth creation over three decades by continuing to rent rather than buying a home, according to new research from Mortgage Advice Bureau (MAB).
By comparing the average cost of renting versus buying over time, MAB’s findings show that homeownership not only builds equity, but also presents a long-term investment growth opportunity – one that many renters may be missing.
MAB’s research shows that by year two, homeowners start to save money versus renting – around £99, which if, for example, they chose to invest into a FTSE 100 tracker fund, is boosted to £104 (equating to £0.14 saved per day).
As the gap between the cost of renting and owning a home rises (i.e. annual rent payments rise, but mortgage payments remain fixed), by year 10, homeowners could save up to £12,157 compared to renters. If they opted to invest this amount, that sum could grow to £14,358, generating an additional gain of £2,202. By year 14, those invested savings could reach £39,539 – enough to fully recoup a typical first-time buyer deposit. Following the same logic, by year 16, invested savings could grow to £55,547 – enough, for example, to repay the average student loan debt in England.
Over a full 30-year period, homeowners could save £206,031 in housing costs alone, not including house price appreciation. If these savings were gradually invested over time, they could yield an additional £132,139, taking the total missed financial opportunity for renters to £338,170.
In some cities, the gap is even wider. In London, the missed opportunity rises to £540,687 – or nearly £50 per day. In Bristol, renters could miss out on even more (£573,110), while in Manchester, the figure reaches £428,223. Interestingly, buyers could save more in Bristol than in London. As the monthly difference between rent and mortgage payments is much greater in Bristol, homeowners there see bigger savings earlier on.
Aspirations vs affordability
Despite the financial benefits of homeownership, many renters still believe it’s out of reach. While 65% of renters say they aspire to buy a home, 27% believe they’ll never be able to afford it. Only 8% said they prefer the flexibility of renting.
Encouragingly, only 7% of 18-24 year-olds and 11% of 25-34 year-olds say they think homeownership is beyond reach – showing optimism among younger renters. But this drops sharply with age: 56% of renters aged 55+ believe they’ll never own a home. Still, 64% of all renters agree that buying a home is more financially secure in the long-term.
Barriers to buying
The most commonly cited barriers to homeownership are high property prices (61%), saving for a deposit (56%), job or income insecurity (32%), mortgage eligibility concerns (31%), and a lack of understanding of the process (17%).
However, many of these perceived obstacles may be more surmountable than renters realise. For instance, 56% of renters said they would consider buying if mortgage repayments matched their rent. This is becoming increasingly possible in many areas of the UK, plus, there are now mortgage products that may help in this regard. More than a quarter (28%) of respondents said they would consider buying if mortgage repayments were similar to rent, but it would depend on other costs, while only 10% said they would prefer to rent.
Affordability changes also mean an average buyer who could have borrowed £200,000 a few months ago could now borrow as much as £240,000. For some renters, this could mean they don’t have to save as long for a deposit as they may have predicted.
MAB's research found that the average time taken to save for a deposit among homeowners was just 2.84 years. In contrast, the average renter has been renting for 7.43 years – suggesting many long-term renters may have already had the time to save and buy, but haven’t acted.
In fact, 12% of homeowners didn’t save at all, receiving gifted deposits – a reminder that support options exist for a minority of first-time buyers.
Ben Thompson, deputy CEO at Mortgage Advice Bureau, commented: “Our research reveals that many renters are much closer to buying than they realise, despite the barriers they perceive. Conditions for aspiring first-time buyers have improved considerably over the last year or so. In fact, there’s a real industry push to see what innovation can be brought to the market, meaning that taking that first step far easier than it has been for the last decade or more. We welcome and support this, believing it will create a fairer society and ensure that homeownership is now a possibility for more people. With the right information, guidance, and support, the dream of homeownership is achievable – along with the significant financial opportunities that come with it.
“Acting now can lead to many thousands of pounds in long-term savings and investment growth. Homeownership builds equity, offers stability, and creates a foundation for future wealth. We strongly encourage renters to speak to one of our advisers to explore their options and take the first step toward owning a home – and their financial future.”
