It depend on rent/mortgage ratio in where you look, and they do vary a lot. Alas if the market and the banks are prepared to sell a mortgaged house the deal is

It depend on rent/mortgage ratio in where you look, and they do vary a lot. Alas if the market and the banks are prepared to sell a mortgaged house the deal is not much less flexible than rent, the transaction costs are not zero but often less than cost of moving your stuff.