The American Dream of owning a home is still alive. People still want a place
of their own; where they can raise their family; share with their friends; feel
safe and secure. Homeownership creates emotional and financial benefits.
The government supports that dream by allowing deductions for mortgage and
home equity interest as well as property taxes. The capital
gains exclusion on profits from a home is incredibly generous and a low
long-term capital gains tax rate applies to excess profits.
It's reported that some of the social benefits of owning a home include
higher voter participation, better physical health, higher student test scores,
lower teen delinquency, neighborhood stability and pride in the community.
If for no other reason, the decision to buy a home should be considered when
it costs much less to own a home than it does to rent. With the unusually low
available mortgage rates, the payment is generally less than comparable rent.
However, the decision becomes more obvious when the other benefits are
considered like amortization, appreciation and tax savings.
It's not uncommon for the net cost of housing to be half of the actual
mortgage payment. In most cases, it is significantly more to rent than to own
which could amount to more than the down payment in the first year alone. Calculate your cost of Renting vs. Owning.
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