logoalt Hacker News

ms_menarditoday at 2:30 AM3 repliesview on HN

This logic assumes that 35% of Americans WANT to rent their home. Which seems odd to me, if only for financial reasons - why would you pay 1400$ for a 1 bedroom apartment when you could pay 700$ in a mortgage for that same apartment if you could have bought it?


Replies

triceratopstoday at 2:35 AM

If you invent a scenario where the mortgage is half the rent then buying is a no-brainer. Does that reflect reality?

show 1 reply
KPGv2today at 2:46 AM

> why would you pay 1400$ for a 1 bedroom apartment when you could pay 700$ in a mortgage for that same apartment if you could have bought it

Because the down payment you put into your purchased home could've been put into the stock market and grown faster than property values (this is historically true).

Because you don't want the headache of home maintenance.

Because in the 21st century, job stability doesn't exist so it's a big risk to buy a home fifteen minutes from your current job that might be an hour from your new job after you get fired so a CEO can get more golden parachutes.

Because you might have to change cities a year from now.

My wife and I rented for a long time because it was better than owning for us.

show 1 reply
maesttoday at 2:46 AM

The numbers you are using are not common at all.