‘Made me ₹3.1 crore richer...’: Finfluencer busts India’s housing myth, explains rent vs buy math

Financial influencer and entrepreneur Sharan Hegde, Founder & CEO at GetOnePercent, has sparked a heated debate on India’s housing market after declaring that spending over ₹1 crore on rent in the past decade made him wealthier than buying property would have. 

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Hegde wrote, “I’ve spent ₹1 crore on rent in 10 years… and I’d do it again. As a multi-millionaire, I could write a check for a ₹5 crore house today. But I won’t. Renting made me ₹3.1 crores richer than buying would have.” 

Renting over Buying 

According to Hegde, India’s real estate is “the most expensive in the world” when adjusted to income levels, costing 15-20 times annual income compared to a global average of 5x. He argues that a ₹1 crore house eventually costs ₹2 crore in EMIs, and buyers lose lakhs within the first year itself due to stamp duty, brokerage, and high interest payments. 

“People think they’re escaping rent by buying, but in reality, they’re paying double the rent to the bank,” he explained. 

Math behind the claim 

Hegde compared two scenarios: 

• Buying a ₹1 crore house: After 20 years, factoring in interest, taxes, and maintenance, he estimates net gains at around ₹1.8 crore. 
• Renting + Investing: By renting the same home for ₹25,000/month and investing the savings into markets with a modest 12% CAGR, he says wealth creation could reach ₹4.6 crore, leaving him ₹3.1 crore richer than the buying option. 

He further argued that the belief “rent is wasted money” is mathematically flawed unless one fails to invest the savings. 

When buying make sense 

Hegde clarified he is not against home ownership but advocates making informed decisions. He listed a four-rule checklist: 

1. EMI should not exceed 30% of monthly income. 
2. Buyer must have at least 20% of the home value as down payment. 
3. An emergency fund covering two years of EMIs should be available. 
4. Buyers should be ready for price fluctuations of up to 30%. 

“Your parents got rich buying houses. You won’t. 2025 India is not 1995 India,” he stressed, calling real estate “financial suicide” for many middle-class households. 

Hegde’s post adds to a growing conversation about whether India’s love affair with property ownership still makes sense in a high-cost, low-yield environment. While previous generations built wealth through real estate, he argues that today’s youth may be better off renting and investing in equities or businesses. 

His closing caveat, however, was clear: “Renting only makes sense if you invest the money you save. If you rent and don’t invest a rupee, you’ll end up on the streets by 50.”