Home buying requires certain priorities. I think you outline a different and successful financial path through life. I don't agree that home buying, in contrast

Home buying requires certain priorities. I think you outline a different and successful financial path through life. I don't agree that home buying, in contrast, makes no sense at all. While you are correct that compound interest does amount to possibly a couple hundred thousands of dollars lost, I think that needs to be compared to the cost of renting. Two very conservative assumptions: 1. over 30 years (standard mortgage) your home/condo value only stays the same as your purchase price. 2. The rent on your apartment never goes up. In the Boston market I rent a rather dumpy and small 2 bedroom apartment for $1600 a month, which is most likely already below market value. If I stayed here for 30 years at this price it would cost $576000, all of which would be completely sunk money. Decent to nice condos in the area range from say $350k to 600k. The money lost to interest in that range is at worst only a couple hundred thousand over 30 years. Meanwhile you have a nicer place to live and equity in the property. Obviously very simplified scenario, but I don't think buying a house/condo when you are relatively young amounts "to flushing hundreds of thousands of dollars down the toilet" anymore than renting does.