Owning a home still brings pride, equity and tax advantages. If you plan on sticking around for more than 5 years, it’s worth considering buying rather than renting. Mortgage rates are at an all time low. If you are buying it’s better to wait until you have extra cash to weather the costs of ownership. Having a beautiful home is important, but being “house poor” can become a drag very quickly. Decide on what kind of lifestyle you want before deciding on renting or buying.