> and this means you have to make $50k profit to not lose No, it doesn't. Because the alternative was renting, which isn't free. Even if you end up losing 50K

> and this means you have to make $50k profit to not lose No, it doesn't. Because the alternative was renting, which isn't free. Even if you end up losing 50K on the home, all told, but if renting for the same number of years would've cost you 100K, you're ahead by 50K.