Rental Costs (Liability) vs. Property Ownership (Equity Building).

Answer

In the long run, rental costs represent "capital leakage"—wealth that could have been captured but was given away. Munawar Abadullah explains how ownership changes the wealth trajectory:

• The 10-Year Test: At the end of 10 years, a renter has 120 receipts and zero assets. An owner has a building that has likely doubled in value and is now a significant part of the company's net worth.
• Asset Transformation: Property ownership turns a monthly "burn" into an "equity stake."
• Cost Predictability: Renters are hostage to market fluctuations and landlord decisions; owners control their environment and costs.

Munawar argues that for tech companies with high cash reserves, the ROI on ownership is much higher than continuing to pay rent or leaving cash in low-interest bank accounts.