Good article! Owning is not necessarily for everyone and largely depends on circumstances. For years, my family griped that my wife and I didn't "own" our home because we rented, even as my three sisters all bought homes.

However, the city we lived in at the time had apartments renting for over $700 and we rented for 26 years the same house and landlord. Our rent started out at $550 and only increased to $650 that entire time! Our incomes went up and down through job changes and unemployment periods so the rent was always manageable and when we had good income it allowed for disposable income for vacations and such.

Additionally, I was always looking for possibility to move for my job. We lived in a suburb of Grand Rapids. I had job interviews in Portland OR, two job interviews in Ireland (Tipperary and Galway), possibility on one job of being assigned to Shanghai China.

So between the potential to relocate to some place really cool, job changes and ups & downs, renting was always the best option. It provided flexibility and the house we rented was far bigger and yet cheaper than apartments at the time. But it was a small house, 800 sq ft or so and six people in the living/dining room was crowded.

Then in 2014 the company at which I worked (Johnson Controls) decided to divest of their automotive divisions and we were sold to Visteon who began letting people go within three months. My position lasted until February 2015 at which point we were shut down. The plus side is that with 10-1/2 years in the job, it got me a $10k severance. Cash in the bank.

Even then I didn't consider buying a house as I was now back on the job market.

But by 2017, my wife and I had a discussion. We weren't going to be making a big move and relocate. We liked the Grand Rapids area. Jobs were likely to be available here always in some manner. Houses were selling quickly at the time but prices had not yet climbed and interest rates were still low. If we were going to make the leap and buy a house now was the time. By June we'd found a 100 year old house in the City of Grand Rapids in great mixed neighborhood two blocks from a large park and centrally located to pretty much anything in the area. At 1400+ sq ft we have now been able to entertain and host family dinners with 16 people spread out between the dining room and living room!

The house had a usable basement half of which I turned into my home "bicycle shop" and training room (LOL), with the other half laundry, storage and an extra basement refridgerator. In 2018 we painted the front (the old front paint was peeling). Last month we had the five original old basement windows replaced with glass block windows. Our next big project will repairing a gradually deteriorating front porch though not right away as that likely will cost a few thousand dollars. Over Christmas holiday, I intend to re-paint the dining room from the grey it currently has (and which matches the living room) to a vibrant burnt red of some sort.

This past January we refinanced, knocking down the percentage interest and base house payment. Due to Covid I have another modification such that if I pay $1000 each month I will effectively be paying TWO house payments a month and greatly speed up the loan closure.

But I absolutely agree with you. Renting vs buying is NOT a one size fits all and plenty depends on one's circumstances, desires and goals. Witness too many people that got sucked into not only the buying craze, but the buy, sell-and-upsize craze... and who lost it all in 2010.