> although I am not immediately interested in home ownership yet...
You should be, as this is one of the best investments you can make. At least in my part of the world :-)
You should be, as this is one of the best investments you can make. At least in my part of the world :-)
Home ownership does have very advantageous tax consequences in the US compared to other instruments - e.g.: deductible interest, tax breaks on capital gains.
But it also depends on your stage of life. If there is a good chance you'll just randomly move to a different city or country in the next few years, then i would not recommend buying a home.
The demographics of the area you buy a house in can change dramatically which affect your house's price, even if the housing market is doing great as a whole.
There are tax advantages, however.
It also depends on the rental market in your area if you'd save more owning or renting. Owning also brings on additional stress with maintenance and repairs.
"I went to the Home Depot the other day, which was unnecessary... I need to go to the Apartment Depot, which is just a big warehouse with people standing around saying "hey, we ain't gotta fix shit!"" - Mitch Hedberg
Real estate is also a lot less liquid than stocks, and that can be a concern too.