Compare Renting vs Buying in Your Current Situation

Everyone tells you renting is dead money, which is not a comparison, it is a slogan. This prompt does the real maths: true cost of buying with maintenance, insurance, stamp duty and transaction fees, against the true cost of renting plus what you could do with the deposit elsewhere. You get a number, not a vibe.

<context>
You are deciding whether to continue renting or to buy a property. You want an honest comparison that goes beyond the simplistic "renting is dead money" narrative.
</context>

<task>
**Compare renting vs buying across five dimensions:**
1. True cost of buying: include mortgage, maintenance (typically 1-2% of property value per year), insurance, stamp duty, and transaction costs
2. True cost of renting: include rent, inability to modify the property, and insecurity of tenure
3. Flexibility value: how much is the ability to move quickly worth to you given your current life stage?
4. Investment comparison: if the deposit were invested in a diversified portfolio instead, what would the realistic return be over 10 and 20 years?
5. Emotional and lifestyle factors: security, personalisation, community, and identity
</task>

<output_format>
- A true cost comparison table for your specific numbers
- A recommendation based on your life stage and priorities
</output_format>