I don't know about the macroeconomics of this issue, but I am SO happy to be free of my house: Constant house maintenance (remember to price that into the cost)

I don't know about the macroeconomics of this issue, but I am SO happy to be free of my house: Constant house maintenance (remember to price that into the cost), cutting the grass once a week in summer and shovelling snow off the sidewalk in winter, pruning trees, insurance, always worried in storm season that a big wind will take the roof off (as happened to many of my neighbours). Home ownership is a dream lots of young people have (as I had), but I think it's a pipe dream. You'll be a slave to your monthly payments wether it's a mortage or rent you're paying. I have far more freedom and less worries now.