Replies

I can not advise anyone on what to do, but for me, buying a home and getting it paid off as quickly as possible is what allowed me to retire at 59.

A home similar to mine rents for close to $1,200 a month (which is what my annual property tax is).

With taxes and other expenses I would have to still be working to earn the $2,000 (rough estimate) just to pay the rent.

True I am responsible for maintenance and for insurance but the renter pays those cost as well, it is included in the rent.

I absolutely refused to refinance my home or to borrow money on it so when the housing bubble popped I lost nothing. The home is still valued at four times what I paid for it but it does not matter, we plan on living here until we die.

Simply put, not doing what you can to own your own home means you will have to earn more money in your old age to pay for rent.