Buying only wins if the time horizon is long enough
Buying can be a strong long-run move without being the right short-run move. The reason is friction. Upfront costs are real. Interest dominates the early years of a mortgage. And ownership adds recurring costs that rent does not fully mirror.
That means a property can be viable to own and still not be the best choice if you expect to move again soon. The break-even year is not perfect truth, but it is a useful guardrail against forcing a long-horizon decision into a short-horizon life plan.
If the model says renting is still ahead over your likely horizon, that is not a failure. It is information. It may simply mean the better move is to keep the cash flexibility for longer rather than rushing into ownership.