You’ve gotta wait 30 minutes to get back in the pool if you’ve eaten! Don’t pee in the pool- it’ll turn red! There are a lot of things we learned in childhood that we’ve likely discarded as false or at least irrelevant at this point. But there are probably some things we still believe because they were ingrained in our brain at an impressionable age. Similarly, there are a lot of folks clinging to the ‘American Dream’ that they should have that house surrounded by that white picket fence, why? Well in large part because it’s the financially smart thing to do. “You’re throwing away money if you’re still renting!” It’s a “money fact” lodged somewhere in the recesses of our brain that we can’t shake. We think that recency bias is leading a lot of folks astray in their quest for home ownership. And of course higher mortgage rates play a role as well. On top of that, it turns out that it’s MUCH more affordable to rent in most major metros today, but how much could you save every month? But at the end of the day, if you still want to purchase a home we have a few prerequisites that you should have checked off your financial to-do list, before you start making offers.

Additional links:

  • Rent vs buy – If you’re stuck on the financials as you’re trying to decide, then a rent vs buying calculator that takes into account your specific location can be helpful.
  • Credit Card Tool – Looking for the right credit card for you? Then check out our new credit card tool that’ll help you to easily filter through all the cards based on your preferred airline, whether or not they have an annual fee, or simply by the cashback offer! Just toggle the sliders and you’ll know which card to consider.
  • Newsletter – Don’t forget to sign up for the best personal finance newsletter in all the land! It’s completely free and something we create to help you along your journey to financial freedom. It drops every Tuesday morning and you can always unsubscribe if you don’t dig it!

During this episode we enjoyed a It Was A Time To Believe In Anything by Burial Brewing! And please help us to spread the word by letting friends and family know about How to Money! Hit the share button, subscribe if you’re not already a regular listener, and give us a quick review in Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Help us to change the conversation around personal finance and get more people doing smart things with their money!

Best friends out!

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3 comments on “The Dirty Truth About Home Ownership – Episode 677

  1. Frank May 31, 2023

    Did you consider the change in cost to renting. You lock in your monthly payment for a while, where as renting requires you to pay more as the cost of renting goes up. No?

    • That’s a great point, Frank. Aside from taxes and insurance costs going up steadily, locking in the cost of housing can be a major benefit for lots of folks. Especially the ones who locked in rates in the 3% range!

  2. Carlos Tavares Jul 5, 2023

    What was the name of the budgeting app you guys mentioned in this episode? I can’t find it anywhere! Thank you