Rent or Buy?  Hmmmm? That's A Head Scratcher

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Which is better, renting or owning? In many cases this is a personal decision. What is your financial situation? Is your job stable? How is your debt situation? Do you have any savings? Does your credit need significant work? Depending on the answers to these questions renting until you have your financial house in order may be the better choice. One thing is true-long term, owning is financially a better decision than renting. It is a fact that the net worth of a home owner is by far higher than that of a renter. The difference is $200,000 to $5000 according to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances conducted in 2013.
http://economistsoutlook.blogs.realtor.org/…/net-worth-of-…/

These are of course national numbers but it is an indication that even given what we have gone through in housing crash, it is still a win-win to own.

The annual percentage of rent increase in 2015 was 8%. The increase in value of homes was 5%. Would you rather obtain a 5% increase that goes into your own pocket or pay 8% out of pocket? You can see why owning a home makes sense. And the fact is, no matter where you live (unless it is your mom's basement) you will be paying somebody's mortgage. Isn't it better that it be your own rather than your landlord's?

Is it no wonder that it is still the American dream to own a home?