Having a tenant pay for me a house is better for me. I've probably moved the most and owning hasn't stopped me.

shows ownership is for some and renting is for others. Thank goodness both are options.

Yes Because I Couldn't make money if there wasn't.

touche. and I would have a whole lot more stress in life having to worry about housing markets and how responsible or dependable SOMEONE ELSE was ....

Housing markets only matter if you are trying to sell. Home values have significantly increased since I bought my first home 27 years ago. The key is to find a dependable long term tenant. Like the one I've had for 6 years. Driving 10 minutes to pick up over $1000 isn't too much trouble. I've talked to people working 40 hours a week who think it is. They are too small minded to realize they are doing a lot more work for less money.

If I moved, I would be trying to sell. Like I said, Im not interested in being dependent on whether another adult will be responsible (paying their rent, taking care of the facilities, et cetera) or babysitting a grown person to make sure they do.

Im glad it works for you. I dont have a small mind. I just know that kind of work and stress about what the 'dependability' of the market or the renter is not for me.

If I moved, I would be trying to sell. Like I said, Im not interested in being dependent on whether another adult will be responsible (paying their rent, taking care of the facilities, et cetera) or babysitting a grown person to make sure they do.

Im glad it works for you. I dont have a small mind. I just know that kind of work and stress about what the 'dependability' of the market or the renter is not for me.

If you were trying to sell you would make a lot of money. Low inventory means homes are selling quickly.

maybe, maybe not. too many things factor into the equation. and Like I said, I dont need another job to stress over especially one where I have to depend on the reliability of SOMEONE ELSE.

For instance? Home values are higher than they've ever been. They usually increase in value 5-10% every year. We all depend on someone else.

dont want another loan. Rent works for me.

Home ownership is a way for a person to pull their self up out of poverty. The articles that want to portray home ownership as a bad thing, use large mortgages financed for 30 years. Most people don't start out with their dream home and nobody is forced to take out a 30 year mortgage. I believe if you can't afford a 15 year payment, you can't afford the house.
Townhouse are cheaper than single family homes without the maintaince. During the housing crash I saw newer 3br 2ba homes selling for $30,000. The payments tax and ins would be less than $400 a month. It's just taking the initiative to do better.

I wonder if the owners of those homes who sold their homes for $30,000 under duress would agree with your statement.They took the initiative and they didn't do better.

A lot of people bought homes for more than they could afford. I was looking to upgrade before the market crashed. I was speechless when the loan officer told me how much I was approved for. He said is that not enough? I knew I couldn't afford that much house. I put a new home on hold and kept saving. I would save $2000 and the price of the home I wanted had gone up by $5000. When the market crashed I had a nice down payment. Actually half of what the home cost. That home was in forecloser because the dad was on dope. Mom stayed with him working 2 jobs but lost everything.
Some people lost their jobs and had no emergency savings. Basically the were living beyond their means.
Some people just walked away because of not having any equity.
Some people bought homes pretending it was an investment and let their main home go. Banks stopped lending on investments.

There is an element of truth in all you say,however in general it just shows there is an element of risk involved in the decision to purchase.A risk some are not prepared to take despite the possibility of substantial long term gain.No one can predict the direction of the market with certainty.As we have seen,timing is very important and not just the timing relative to the market but in relation to your personal circumstances.For some people the security,freedom and peace of mind they feel renting is just as real as the security you personally feel as a result of your choices.Personally I agree with you that owning your own home is a much better proposition financially but it is not for everyone.

I think the feeling of security comes when you go into retirement with a home that is paid off. Most places reduce property tax for the elderly. If money is tight ins doesn't have to be paid.
I don't understand why people feel stressed about paying a mortgage but not rent. Unless they quit paying rent until evicted and move somewhere else without paying a couple months rent.
If money gets tight paying the mortgage people can move in with family until they get a new job, while renting the home to someone who can afford to pay for it.

that is not a guarantee and doesnt work out that way for ALOT of people.

Who does it not work out for? How many years have you been at your current residence? Check how much home values have increased in your area during that time.

are you serious? You really believe EVERYONE has the experience you had?

I rent and I move around. I know people who have owned and lost tons back in 2007 and 2008 trying to sell, because those things in the FUTURE are unknown and cant be foretold.

so no, it does not work out the SAME for everyone buying or selling homes. If it was such a guarantee, everyone would do it. but its a huge RISK in order for a potential gain, but a gain that is still only a potential and not a reality for many when they buy or sell.

It rarely comes down to a simple choice between rent or mortgage.It is all the other details that have been mentioned by various people in this topic that are the determining factors.Even amongst owners there would be significant differences as to why they choose to own rather than rent.Financial security means different things to different people.We often downplay some of the disadvantages of owning to justify our choice.I am still of the opinion I expressed on the first page of this topic that there is no definitive answer to this question,it is a matter of horses for courses.In fact msharmony asked for the pros and cons of renting v owning,not a decision,my bad.