Real Estate Companies

Should You Buy a Home or Just Keep Renting?

For a long time, conventional wisdom seemed to be that you grow up and buy a home because that’s just what you do. But lately, people are realizing that it isn’t always the smartest financial move. Obviously, the housing crisis has a lot to do with that—it’s made people question the standard assumption that homeownership equals financial stability.

Homeownership isn’t a good or bad idea on its own. It has everything to do with your own situation. Sometimes, buying a home is the smart thing to do; other times, it really isn’t. Whether or not it’s smart for you will depend on a few different factors. Here’s what you should keep in mind.

The biggest argument for owning a home is that it’s an “investment.” But a lot of people tend to overestimate the return on this investment.

People tend to believe that homes are appreciating assets, but this isn’t always true. Overall, the housing market doesn’t have a great long-term return. It barely outpaces inflation, in fact.

Displaying 1 - 33 of 33
Advantage Plus Realty, 87 Live Oak St, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Back Stage Realty, 1577 Meadowbrook Ct, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Barbee Realty, 123 Oak Shores Dr, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Baywalk Real Estate, 4566 E Highway 20 Ste 104, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Ben Slade Realty, 316 Tipperary Way, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Bluewater Bay Resort Realty, 1940 Bluewater Blvd # 11, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Bluewater Realty, Po Box 5277, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Carriage Hills Realty, 1821 John Sims Pkwy E, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Century 21 Wilson Minger Agency, 1350 John Sims Pkwy E, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Citizens Real Estate, 133 Partin Dr N, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Costa Vita Properties, 270 Sweetwater Run, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
David Wallace Realty, 533 Golf Course Dr, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Distinctive Beach Real Estate, 1399 Windward Ln, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Emerald Coast Residential Property Management, 140 Lanman Rd, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Emerald Dunes Real Estate & Development, 223 Hillside Dr, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Great American Quality Management, 4347 Sunset Beach Blvd, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Gulf Coast Realty Of Niceville, 1400 Home Run Ct, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Kingdom 1st Real Estate Company, 101 Parkwood Dr, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Magnolia Waters Realty And Investments, 4134 Beach Dr, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Marina Cove Realty, 290 Yacht Club Dr Ste 101, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Mel Parker Realty, 183 Robert Ave, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Minger Real Estate Referrals, 1350 John Sims Pkwy E, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Nautical Real Estate, 211 Evans St Unit I, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Panhandle Management, Po Box 73, Niceville Fl 32588

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Pineapple Properties, 4236 Bobcat Cv, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Pondapple Development, 4 Sunset Beach Pl, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Powell Agency, 110 Partin Dr N, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Randy Wise Homes Realty, 128 Partin Dr N, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Resort Realty Services, 1940 Bluewater Blvd # 11, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Ruckel Properties, 1003 John Sims Pkwy E # C, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Sandy Massing Realty, Po Box 292, Niceville Fl 32588

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Sound Choice Real Estate, 103 Windlake Ct, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!
Southern Developers Realty, 109 Bullock Blvd, Niceville Fl 32578

Get contact info and detailed information for real estate companies. Information on MLS, how it works, and how it can help you sell your home.

...Real Estate Company Details - Click Here!

Over the past 100 years, home prices have only grown at a compound annual rate of 0.3%, adjusted for inflation. The S&P 500, on the other hand, has had an annual return of 6.5%. That’s a big difference.

While that single real estate asset might help protect you against inflation, a well-balanced stock and bond portfolio seems to be a better investment. But a lot of people’s portfolios are mostly made up of their home value. You wouldn’t put 80 percent of your portfolio in a bond simply to protect against inflation (unless maybe you were nearing retirement) so why would your home make up that same amount? That’s the argument against buying a home as investment.

When making the decision it is important to understand that buying a home might not be a great financial investment and to not forgo all of your investable assets in order to purchase a home because you are really purchasing a right to housing and not a long-term investment designed to generate income.

Most experts agree that while housing is an investment, it’s not a great investment. So if this is your only basis for buying a home, it’s probably not the best one.

Decide How Much You Can Afford: In deciding whether you can afford to buy, you’ll have to figure out how much home you’re planning on buying in the first place. One rule of thumb for figuring out this number: your home should cost no more than 2.5 times your salary. Of course, this just gives you a ballpark figure. It doesn’t consider your net worth.

Weigh the Opportunity Cost of Renting Versus Buying: While your home might not be the best investment, in the end, it’s still yours. Even if it barely outpaces inflation, at the end of the day, you own it, and that’s worth something. When you rent, you own nothing—the money is given to someone else. So lots of people argue that you should own a home because one day, you’ll pay that home off and it’ll be yours, rather than continuing to pay rent for the rest of your life.




Copyright © 2023 All Rights Reserved Homeowners-Associations-Florida.com

Contact    |    FAQ    |    Terms of Use    |    Privacy Policy    |    Website Disclaimer