> Avoiding debt and not taking mortgage is a legitimate financial strategy Is it though? I don't know about the US, but the UK simply hasn't got any protectio

> Avoiding debt and not taking mortgage is a legitimate financial strategy Is it though? I don't know about the US, but the UK simply hasn't got any protections in place to protect retired tenants from eviction. I know in Portugal and in other parts of Europe many people enjoy these protections. Retiring on a fixed income when your landlord is free to put up the rent 5-10%/yr during cost of living crisis, or kick you out on the street because they want their investment back isn't a fun way to live. Moving in your 70s is stressful and not fun. Then there's just the cost. Most people simply don't have pensions that can cover a private rent, and lack the financial education and discipline to invest judiciously throughout their life to reach that point. And even if they were so inclined, there's no money left to do so after paying rent! Since the financial crisis repayment mortgags have been as cheap as rent on a like for like home, so the security of owning your home is "free" as far as most people were concerned. Without it being cheaper to rent, your 20% house deposit needs to grow at 6.7%/yr ABOVE the rate of house price inflation, over a 25 year term, to make investing it instead of buying property a viable alternative. In the UK, residential property has matched the stock market. So it simply wasn't a good strategy over the last 20 years.