Renting can be cheaper or about the same as buying. And I mean a comparable property. You have to add it all up. My landlord has probably shelled out $10k in

Renting can be cheaper or about the same as buying. And I mean a comparable property. You have to add it all up. My landlord has probably shelled out $10k in repairs ( the house is at that magic 20 year point where everything fails ) in five years. I've done the "buy cheap and spend the rest at Home Depot" thing. It's not bad, but it's not ideal. Unless I'm categorically certain of living in the house at least five years, I'll continue to rent. I've done the math - I'd have less equity in a house of the same value than I have in raw cash freed up just from renting. And that's really not counting fees and closing costs.