CA agrees renting is smarter than buying a flat but only if you beat this 'hardest' habit

Forget the endless “rent vs buy” debate — a young CA just called it what it really is: a distraction. CA Abhishek Walia took to LinkedIn and dropped a truth bomb that’s got people rethinking their entire financial playbook. According to him, it’s not a real estate debate at all. It’s a cash flow debate. The real question isn’t about keys and property papers, but something far more powerful — liquidity versus liability.

Most people chase homeownership for stability, status, or just to tick off that “own a house” box. But Walia breaks it down with cold, clean math. Imagine buying a Rs 1 crore flat — you put down Rs 20 lakh and take an Rs 80 lakh loan. Your monthly EMI? Rs 70,000 for 20 years. By the end, you’ve paid Rs 1.66 crore. That’s your “ownership dream” wrapped neatly in decades of debt.

Now, flip the script. Rent a similar place for Rs 30,000 a month instead, and invest the Rs 40,000 difference every month at a 12% return. After 20 years, you’re sitting on Rs 3.67 crore — and the best part? You had liquidity all along. Freedom, flexibility, and options. No 20-year mortgage hanging over your head.

What's the hardest part?
But before you rush to cancel your home loan, Walia throws in the real catch — discipline. “This only works,” he warns, “if you’re actually investing that difference. And that’s the hardest part.” He sums it up perfectly: buying gives you emotional security and a roof that’s yours; renting gives you flexibility and the power of compounding. So instead of asking “should I rent or buy,” he says the smarter question is: do I value ownership or opportunity? One ties up your cash. The other multiplies it.


And his parting advice? Stop letting FOMO or family pressure dictate your biggest financial moves. Run the math, trust the numbers, and ask yourself one simple question before you sign anything: Is this giving me liquidity — or liability?