…Again, it all depends –
5-2-2015: Rent or buy a home? 10 points to ponder
2-16-2015: This lousy calculation ignores the interest you pay in excess of any tax benefit; also ignores the thousand$ in HOA fee; and ignores the cost of extra utilities, furnishing, repairing, maintaining, or updating the home; and furthermore, assume s a high 5% annual return on home price when historically it’s been 3%.
1-30-2014: Survey says…>35 year-olds leaning toward buying v. rental – could be marriage, kids, privacy, and stability of employment?
Here’s a recent article favoring buying v. Renting.
If you need to remain mobile and can transfer to another city for employment within the next 2+ years, you may be better off renting.
If you have recently lost a house, you nor your credit may be ready for another plunge, especially since home prices are also plunging – even though it’s being hyped as the best time to buy a home.
If you plan on staying in place, starting a family, or otherwise pretty stable at location or vicinity for at least 3-4+ years, then owning a home may be of benefit to you. But if the boss plans to move the company to the other side of town, or another state/town, your commute will change drastically and you now enjoy life less.
Think about your lifestyle and commute – there are many expenses involved with buying, selling, and owning real estate and it locks you in a specific location. Yes, you may miss good price appreciation, but these days it appears it’s all more relative about the local market than what your friends, family, or coworkers are experiencing.
Here is an article that pushes buy over rent, but offers good points toward buying – http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17735719?nclick_check=1
Another article stressing buy v. rent, but based on their number and assumption of continued tax detectability of interest and taxes and sale of home for a specific price and no increases in some expenses like homeowner’s insurance (which has jumped about 20% since last year): http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/business/buy-rent-calculator.html
Another article favors economics of buying v.renting now. Source: http://money.cnn.com/2012/03/21/real_estate/homes-buy-rent/?source=cnn_bin
References to products and services are not a specific endorsement, but the user must perform their due diligence and investigate whether the product or service is right for them. I welcome any or all comments that would help others.