Anyone here prefer to rent vs owning a house?

[tached1000rr]

I've always thought it was better to be a homeowner, but I'm beginning to rethink things now. Let's see replace roof, heating unit, complete exterior paint, cutting of some major trees, the fun never ends.....

I've told my wife that now that our kids are almost there, that perhaps we will downsize in a few years or rent something and travel and enjoy life more, versus spending the weekends mowing, raking, painting etc....

[CrazyKell]

Personally I rent because I'm never in one place long enough to justify buying.

My life is somewhat hectic and I'm usually a few years here and a few years there....so there's not much point in buying.

That's just me though.

[OneSickPsycho]

Eventually I want to own a house, but I don't want to live in this area forever... I like the convenience of renting, but I would like to have a place I could make my own...

[Angee]

Been there, done that...owning, just like renting, has it's pros and cons. When I was married, we owned and it was one nightmare after another. Being the first home and young as we were, we didn't do enough research on the house and wound up with a money-pit.

Renting you can't do much in the way of painting, wallpapering and changing things to suit your own tastes. Granted, you aren't responsible for the upkeep and repairs, but then you have to wait for the andlord to get around to doing things that need done. We rent right now and that's fine with us, but eventually we'd like to own (researching LOTS first). With the current state of the economy right now, we'll be staying right where we are. I don't want to buy a house and be stuck with it if I decide I want to relocate...nothing is selling right now and it would really suck if I had a house to sell.

[Cutty72]

Bought my house a little over a year ago.
I plan on staying in this area for awhile, so it was all good. Also, I like having a big yard and the space and freedom to do what I want when I want
(also helps I live in a small town) I could get none of those freedoms while renting. And it seems to get a decent place I'm spending almost as much (sometimes more) on rent than I do on my morgtage.

As for the roof/paint/siding etc, it's a research thing. My house had new shingles 3 yrs before purchase. I put new siding on when I bought it. All I have to do is replace windows and I'll be set. 30 yr warranty on shingles and lifetime on siding.

Yard work is the only real addition, but I enjoy doing that kind of stuff, so no biggy for me.
So, instead of tossing away my money every month for a place to live, I'm making an investment. Sure, right now with the economy, I probably couldn't get my money back out of it (yet) but worse case I'm no worse off than if I had been renting.

[Particle Man]

we rent so we'll have enough saved up in case something happens.

[Flexin]

Originally Posted by Cutty72

Bought my house a little over a year ago.
I plan on staying in this area for awhile, so it was all good. Also, I like having a big yard and the space and freedom to do what I want when I want
(also helps I live in a small town) I could get none of those freedoms while renting. And it seems to get a decent place I'm spending almost as much (sometimes more) on rent than I do on my morgtage.

As for the roof/paint/siding etc, it's a research thing. My house had new shingles 3 yrs before purchase. I put new siding on when I bought it. All I have to do is replace windows and I'll be set. 30 yr warranty on shingles and lifetime on siding.

Yard work is the only real addition, but I enjoy doing that kind of stuff, so no biggy for me.
So, instead of tossing away my money every month for a place to live, I'm making an investment. Sure, right now with the economy, I probably couldn't get my money back out of it (yet) but worse case I'm no worse off than if I had been renting.

I agree with this. And as far as the yard work goes that can be done with hired help as well. There is an old guy that lives down the road from me and his yard is done by a landscape company. I see him out there doing the odd thing. He must be in his 90's.

James