HOME OWNERSHIP VS. STOCK MARKET: WHO WINS?

Should you buy your first home, or rent and invest the difference in the S&P 500? It's one of the most divisive questions in personal finance — so we ran the numbers over a full 35 years.Senior Insurance Adviser Rory McSweeney and Senior Mortgage Adviser Daniel Lipman go head-to-head on a case study: Jack & Jill, a Dunedin couple in their 30s living in Auckland, with $200,000 in KiwiSaver and a $200,000 household income, deciding between a $1M home and a high-growth fund. Three scenarios, one surprisingly close finish.:house: Scenario 1 — Rent & invest the difference (the $6.6M KiwiSaver "fortress"):house: Scenario 2 — Buy & hold the family home:house: Scenario 3 — Buy, then leverage your equity into 3 rentalsWe dig into leverage, the psychology of investing, why discipline beats theory, and why the "right" answer comes down to how you want to live.Chapters0:00 Home vs stocks — the debate2:00 Meet Jack & Jill (the case study)3:00 The assumptions8:00 Scenario 1: Rent & invest11:30 Scenario 2: Buy & hold the home15:00 Round one: the result16:30 The psychology of investing21:20 Scenario 3: Equity into 3 rentals27:00 Round two: the result29:00 Neck and neck — diversify & pick a strategyBook a no-obligation chat with the team → https://blueprintfinance.co.nzSubscribe → https://www.youtube.com/@BlueprintFinancenz?sub_confirmation=1Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2c7UbLcqpFSPwuBoJAlANcApple → https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-blueprint-finance-podcast-plan-your-future/id1806234991Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/blueprintfinancenzDisclaimer: This content is general information only and not personalised financial advice. The case-study figures are illustrative assumptions, not a projection of your situation. Speak to a licensed adviser before making decisions.