[Beagle8U]

"The same can be said about money that a homeowner spends on closing costs, points, trasfer taxes, real estate taxes, interest on the note and mortgage, insurance, maintenance costs, and in many cases, home improvements"

And you think that when you rent you aren't paying for all those things? The owner that rents to you charges to cover all that plus a profit.

To each his own, but I think its foolish to rent unless you know you will be moving out of the area in 2 years or less.

[Myrddin]

To each his own, but I think its foolish to rent unless you know you will be moving out of the area in 2 years or less.

I purchased my first condo about 2 weeks before I got married in June 1978. I've purchased 3 more houses since that time. The first condo and first house have been sold. I'm living in the 3rd house with the mortgage paid free and clear. The 4th house was purchased with the intention of making it a rental. I'm keeping it up and using the interest/tax as write-offs on my income tax since my primary residence only has property tax left.

The only time I've rented since 1978 was for 5 months in early 2001 after selling my house in Mira Mesa. I did it only to keep a good address inside the high school boundaries so my son could finish his senior year at Mira Mesa High School. The rest of the family was already moved to the house in Idaho at that time. It was $900/month for a 1 BR/1 BA apartment. We slept on air mattresses and sleeping bags. A card table and a couple folding chairs sufficed for a place to eat and set up our computer keyboards and monitors. I moved out the day after he graduated.