Clark often gets questions from people about whether to rent or buy a home. His answer is usually pretty linear: You should only buy if you’re going to stay in a home for five or more years. But there is a clear exception to the rule going on right now according to the Wall Street Journal. In many areas of the country, there it’s an even better idea to rent rather than buy. The reasons for this include the fact that prices in certain markets have risen significantly in recent years and because “speculators” are buying homes and renting them out. So, there is an oversupply of affordable rentals in many areas of the country while home prices in these areas have gone up. The major markets where this is true include Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, San Diego, Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco, Tampa and Washington D.C. In San Diego, for example, it will cost you 40 cents to rent for every $1 it costs you to buy. That means if you pay $1,000 a month for a mortgage, it will cost you only $400 to rent. On the other side of the spectrum, buying sometimes makes much more sense. They are few and far between, but they exist. Indianapolis, Dallas and Atlanta are areas where it would make more sense to own rather than rent. The cost to rent in these areas is roughly equivalent to the cost of owning. You should still abide by Clark’s rule even if you are moving to an area where it’s smart to buy, and that is to rent for about six months before you buy. That way you can weigh in traffic, schools, and other factors.