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Renting might not be the American Dream — but according to Kevin O'Leary, it's the smarter choice for millions of people chasing it too soon.
In a 2018 interview with CNBC, the “Shark Tank” investor laid it out bluntly:
“Are you married? If the answer is no, rent.”
“If you're married, do you have children? No? Rent.”
That's not exactly the advice most people grew up hearing. For decades, homeownership has been sold as a must-do milestone. Buy a house, build equity, settle down. But O'Leary flips the script — and his reasoning has only gotten more relevant in 2025's brutally expensive housing market.
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“I think the key to life — particularly when you're young — is to stay out of debt,” he said, urging young adults to delay buying until they're financially stable and partnered.
O'Leary points to interest rates as the silent killer behind a bad home purchase. For years, mortgage rates were dropping, making it cheaper to borrow and pushing home values higher. But that trend reversed — and reversed hard. Even back in 2018, he warned:
“Interest rates aren't going down any more.”
In 2025, mortgage rates are higher than they've been in over a decade. Which means a $500,000 house today could cost tens of thousands more over time than it would've just a few years ago. Add in maintenance, taxes, insurance, and the risk of job instability — and the case for renting gets a little stronger.
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Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett's longtime business partner, said it even more plainly:
“The time to buy a house is when you need one.”
Pressed for what that meant, Munger didn't hesitate. “The single people, I don't care if they ever get a house,” he said, calling it an “old-fashioned” belief he still stands by.
