I've been tracking the real estate market in my city for a decade, and I'm starting to think renting is smarter than buying for most young professionals right now. With prices up 40% in five years and interest rates hovering around 7%, the monthly mortgage on a typical condo is double the rent for the same unit. I know the old argument that you're just throwing money away on rent, but when you factor in property taxes, maintenance, and the opportunity cost of tying up your down payment, the math gets murky. Am I missing something, or are we in a bubble that's making ownership a bad bet?