I have an opportunity to buy a small condominium office for $100,000.
Due to the nature of my professional practice the anchor occupant in
the building is offering the space without maintenance or utilities
costs, which the anchor will assume, in order to attract me to the
complex. The condominium location is in prime real estate space, newly
constructed. There is the option to rent for $750/ month, utilities
included. At current Canadian mortgage rates, the mortgage payment
would be about $700/ month (assuming no money down). The real estate
taxes are about $100/month so buying would cost more. My plans are for
a long term occupancy. The anchor is even offering a guaranteed 100%
buyback at my original cost if I remain ten years so the risk is low.
Real estate values are climbing on average 2.5% a year. My question
is: How do you calculate the benefits of buying versus renting?

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Clarification of Question by blue_heron-ga on 25 Aug 2003 14:37 PDT

Any chance of a reply in the next 18 hours? Thank you

There are many "Buying VS Renting" calculators on the Internet. Here
is one such calculator:

http://www.homesoldinc.com/tools/rent_v_buy.html

Would something like that suit your needs?

Thank you  directrix-ga.  I'll check out the site. It sounds along the
lines of what I was looking for.

My time has run out.