Should Physicians Buy or Rent? How Much Should A Doctor Spend Buying a Home?

In this episode, Jimmy and Justin break down the real numbers behind the buy vs. rent decision at every stage of the physician journey — from fourth-year med students who just matched, to residents weighing whether homeownership makes sense during a 3-4 year program, to new attendings figuring out how much house they can actually afford. They cover Zillow's break-even data (hint: it takes about 4-5 years on average for buying to beat renting), why that number swings wildly by city (Cleveland is ~2 years, San Francisco is 15), the dangers of the "2-3x gross income" rule of thumb in a 6%+ rate environment, and why keeping your mortgage under a third of take-home pay is a better guardrail. Plus: why renting your first year as an attending might be the smartest financial move you make, the risks of physician home loans with no money down, and what self-employed doctors need to know before applying for a mortgage. Whether you just matched, you're finishing residency, or you're eyeing a job change, this episode gives you the framework to make a housing decision that doesn't wreck your path to financial independence. Every doctor needs own-occupation disability insurance.  Get it from a source you can trust: https://moneymeetsmedicine.com/disability    Resources:Zillow White Paper: Buy Versus Rent Want a free copy of The Physician Philosopher’s Guide to Personal Finance?  Snag your copy here: https://moneymeetsmedicine.com/freebook Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.