Comment Re: Another silly decision (Score 1) 480
The big difference between renting and buying is that instead of throwing away money to pay someone else's mortgage, you are building equity in your own property.
Renting is not throwing away money. Where I live (Seattle) rents are easily less than half what your monthly mortgage would be to buy. If I take the extra cash and invest it somewhere else, I'll have more money from my investments than I would have equity from buying. And that's not even accounting for maintenance costs, which are the landlords responsibility when you rent.
Depending on how much property values change and how rent compares with mortgage payments and maintenance, you could just as well say buying is throwing away money.
Renting in most markets is throwing away money. You are forgetting that rents increase not only with inflation but with availability of vacancies. I switched from years of renting to owning last summer and I am paying around the same as I would for rent for the same condo but I am building equity and I live in the 2nd least affordable city on earth. If the price of renting is the same or less than mortgage payments then you are better off owning even if you are single. If you cannot stay in the same job for at least 2 years or same city then there is something seriously wrong with you. You should have at least a 5 year plan.