When it comes to moving house that age old question keeps rearing it s head: is it better to rent a home or is it more cost effective to buy one? There are many factors to consider, however the decision over to whether to rent or buy will largely be a personal one.
Of course there will be various economic factors that will play a part when you are considering purchasing a home. Interest rates will fluctuate and real estate values and concerns over job security can determine whether the current climate is right for realistically considering a purchase.
There are certainly plenty of advantages when it comes to renting a home. If you are moving to a completely new area then deciding to rent a home or apartment then then this will offer you as much time as you need to grow accustomed to a new location and you will also have the freedom to move elsewhere at short notice if the situation arose where career opportunities arose elsewhere. Another advantage of renting a flat is that apartment complexes will quite often offer health and fitness facilities. There is usually the added benefit of not having to worry about the cost of property maintenance, property taxes or homeowner s insurance.
It would seem that renting a home offers plenty of advantages; however they are mostly short term benefits. People who decide to buy a house get the opportunity to accumulate equity by paying down principal and also through possible real estate appreciation. In an economic climate where the market appreciates rapidly, you will be staggered at the gains that can be made. It can be argued convincingly that with the additional deductions that are allowable for mortgage interest, owning your home is actually not that much more expensive than renting a flat when the markets are rising. This is particularly true when interest rates are low. These factors aside, the other appeal in buying your own home comes from the pride that comes with owning your own property and the freedom that you have to make changes where desired.
Your own personal financial circumstances and the current state of the market will determine whether it is more cost effective for you to buy or rent. There are plenty of websites available that will help you with the relevant calculations that you need to make. If you perform an analysis of rent Vs buy then in a climate where the marketing is appreciating moderately then on average it works out at about 5 6 years before the buyer gains the financial advantage, so if you are willing to take the long term advantages into account then it could work out better for you if you buy.
An excellent alternative to either of these choices would be a rent to own arrangement, This is especially useful if you are at all undecided about the area that you are choosing to live in, your career choice, the possibility of prices falling or perhaps you need to accumulate the money to buy. You still get all the advantages of renting so you will always be able to move out quickly if your circumstances suddenly change.
Ultimately you have to consider your personal long term goals and lifestyle. If you feel happiest renting and not having the pressure of having to maintain a property then this will probably be the correct move for you.
Author Resource:-
Dave Matthews is writing on behalf of Shepherd Gilmour (http://www.shepherdgilmour.com), a leading Estate Agent, Manchester, UK.
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