Alsalam alikom, I'm currently living the US, I have been here for almost 3 years,and I'm planing to stay here for another 5-6 years. I have 2 kids and I'm living in a 2 bedroom apartment and I'm paying $900 a month. Two bedroom getting too small for the family. So I'm planing to move to a 3 bedroom which the rent is around $1200. I have done some research where I found that I can buy a house with a payment less than what I would be paying for rent. My question is: Is buying a house with a mortgage for less than the rent and at the end of the day I'm making these payments toward a house I'll end up owning? Thank you

All praise be to Allah, and may His blessings and prayers be on His last messenger, Muhammad,

It is usually not as you think. Buying a house comes with many responsibilities, such as paying property taxes, as well as maintenance, etc. If you find a completely halal Islamic mortgage, then you may buy what you desire. If it is not a usurious mortgage, but tainted with un-Islamic clauses, you may only have it for a valid need, such as the need for more room or safer neighborhood without that being affordable through renting. If you can’t find any Islamic financing, then conventional mortgages are only permitted for necessity. Such is obviously not your case.

Allah knows best.