the thing is - there’s a lot of variables that shift the balance towards renting when looking within a time frame, even from a financial perspective.
how long you can stay in one place and whether that fits your needs both today and in a few decades
% of down payment and missed earnings if this money went towards another investment
interest rates
property taxes
HOA fees, if any
likely higher insurance rates over renting
maintenance costs
In the end of the day, since many variables have a large uncertainty, that’s a bit of a gamble. Home ownership tends to win over time, but the longer one looks into the future, the higher this uncertainty also is.
Finally sane people! Holy shit you’re like a unicorn.
There are DEFINITELY cases where many people are CHOOSING to rent because they simply DON’T want to own. That’s perfectly okay. Both options have pros and cons.
Shitty landlords do exist… But homeownership has a boatload of issues that come with it too that you simply cannot shop around for.
I’ve owned my own house for the past 5 years. I’m in a position where it makes sense. Before that? Well over a decade of renting. And it wouldn’t have made sense any other way.
The lack of nuance in opinion otherwise is maddening.
judging by the comments there’s a lot of people thinking “my mortgage is $ X renting this would be $ Y. $Y > $X, therefore owning is better.”
Add all those costs above, then one can think of comparing both. Also, the property I’d buy is not the same I’d rent at all - these two have very different requirements IMO. One is for a few years and the other is meant for a few decades. I can get a much better location around where I live because I’m renting and it’s still very affordable.
the thing is - there’s a lot of variables that shift the balance towards renting when looking within a time frame, even from a financial perspective.
In the end of the day, since many variables have a large uncertainty, that’s a bit of a gamble. Home ownership tends to win over time, but the longer one looks into the future, the higher this uncertainty also is.
Finally sane people! Holy shit you’re like a unicorn.
There are DEFINITELY cases where many people are CHOOSING to rent because they simply DON’T want to own. That’s perfectly okay. Both options have pros and cons.
Shitty landlords do exist… But homeownership has a boatload of issues that come with it too that you simply cannot shop around for.
I’ve owned my own house for the past 5 years. I’m in a position where it makes sense. Before that? Well over a decade of renting. And it wouldn’t have made sense any other way.
The lack of nuance in opinion otherwise is maddening.
this really annoys me too
judging by the comments there’s a lot of people thinking “my mortgage is $ X renting this would be $ Y. $Y > $X, therefore owning is better.”
Add all those costs above, then one can think of comparing both. Also, the property I’d buy is not the same I’d rent at all - these two have very different requirements IMO. One is for a few years and the other is meant for a few decades. I can get a much better location around where I live because I’m renting and it’s still very affordable.
You’re missing a few advantages to owning-
I’m missing all advantages of owning (or renting), that was not the intent.