<p class="ql-block">After you graduate, you should try to buy a home as soon as possible. You can start with a smaller one and upgrade to a larger home later. But if you keep renting, you’re essentially throwing money away because rent payments never build equity.</p><p class="ql-block">When you buy a home, your investment grows over time. Your monthly mortgage payment remains fixed, and once you pay it off—typically in 30 years—you won’t have to make any more payments. In contrast, if you rent, you’ll always have a monthly payment, and it will never end.</p><p class="ql-block">For example, the first home we bought in Irvine is the one you’re living in now. We purchased it for $210,000 with a $40,000 down payment. That $40,000 investment has turned into at least $1.4 million in value—a huge return. Back in 1997, our mortgage payment was $1,380 per month—higher than rent at the time. However, while rents have since increased to at least $4,600 for similar homes, our mortgage is fully paid off, meaning there are no more monthly payments.</p>