'So Much Cheaper to Rent' — Seattle's $3,511 Homebuyer Trap Exposed

New Zillow data ranks Seattle among the five most expensive metros in the country to buy a home — and the $3,511-per-month penalty over renting tells you everything about where this market stands. Sean walks through the numbers, the fine print behind the Fox 13 headline, and why the comparison isn't as apples-to-apples as it looks. Renting frees up capital you can invest elsewhere; buying builds equity and locks in your cost basis. The break-even math still works for Seattle buyers — but only if you're willing to hold long enough in a state that keeps finding new ways to push high earners toward the door. Interest rate buydowns, relocation to lower-tax markets like Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and Florida, and the invest-the-difference argument all factor in. Subscribe to @summitpropertiesnwllc for Seattle real estate insight from Sean Reynolds, and visit SummitPropertiesNW.com if you're ready to make a move anyway.