To #1. If I were in your shoes, I'd rent.
To #2. Contact your HR or Relo. dept. and ask if they have contacts and or a good experience with a local competent buyer's agent.

Rent.
Purchases for short terms don't usually net much profit.

I second the rent option. Why would you want the burden of a house for such a short stay? I would look for a townhome to rent. That way, you would have the space of a single family home, but without the up keep, or having the burden to sell it later.

I agree with the above posters. The most pertinent item that you listed was that you plan to leave the area in three years or less. You didn't have to tell us anything else for us to come to the conclusion that you should rent.

What is your assistance package. I have friends who bought locally even though they were being moved temporarily to France. It worked out cheaper for them based on the package

Also if you move in 3 years will it be because you are changing jobs or being promoted. Will you get assistance then? What kind. Also any plans to marry or anything that could change your future plans (I know crystal ball but I guess the question is, is that goal)

What if 3 years turns into 5 or if you decide you like it there and stay? I'd have to see how much the rent is verses what a mortgage would be. Why put money into someone else's pocket? Say rent is $1,500, for a year it's $18,000; now times that by 3. That's close to $55,000 you're giving someone.

Mortgage, taxes, insurance, sales costs, legal fees, closing costs, selling expenses

Another vote for renting.

But we don't know your financial situation - how much you earn, taxes, etc. You really need to just crunch the numbers. Maybe Roselvr is right and after all the tax benefits, home/condo ownership will pay for itself or at least not cost you money. Or Saphire is right and the expenses of buying and owning for only three years will exceed the cost of renting.

I would rent for your first few months so that you can get to know the area (which areas are beginning to plateau, which are booming), then make a purchase. Make sure you can be in the home for at least two years so that not only will you get a tax break, but you won't get hit with capital gains when you sell.

I keep my eye silk on the vanity  is that redundant?

I don't expect to receive so many responses so quickly, thank you everyone for the advice.

The housing purchase assistance offers closing cost. Not extravagant if I do not purchase an expensive property. My annual base salary is $125K, bonus is extra; the tax bite is bad. The 3-year stay is a career decision. Getting any housing assistance offer from the next move is a big unknown, so I do not factor it into this decision making.

With my frequent business travel schedule, a condo is a better choice. The monthly rent now is $1000.00 that is more than the carrying cost of a condo in a similar neighborhood of equivalent size.

Your inputs make lots of sense. Last night I crunch the numbers. Due to the low property appreciation, high property tax, dues, and the opportunity cost of the fund associated with buying, the results show that it will take at least 3 years or longer to break even between buying and renting in this area. The more expensive the property is, the longer it takes to recoup the purchase cost.

May be I should purchase a property in a different city just to take care of the tax bite. Only a thought.

Vacation property? Retirement location? Home for aging parents? All good options. You can even do a furnished property at a vacation destination and use it for 2 weeks a year and rent it out the rest of the time and depreciate it. Chances are you can depreciate it more than you make on it. Also if you own it through an LLC or an S Corp you may not lose the deductions as your income increases (although of course check with your tax advisor since I am not sure about this)

I can't imagine buying with the long hours, business travel and only staying somewhere three years.

Also, the fact you have no pets suggests to me that maybe you don't like to be tied down. Property ownership is one big tie-down.

Think a little bit about your psychology and be truthful with yourself. All the financial benefits in the world won't make up for it if it makes you feel like you're dragging a ball and chain.