Speaking as a homeowner and a renter, I can honestly say that life as a renter is more peaceful and enjoyable.

I’m actually happier now, without the worries of constant repairs and my insatiable desire to keep decorating and fixing up. In the rental, I don’t really care about replacing the mini blinds, spending 6 months’ salary on a kitchen remodel, replacing the sprinkler system, or spending an entire weeks’ pay at Restoration Hardware on gazillion-count sheets to match my organic cotton pure white duvet cover. After all, it’s only a rental. The neighbor kids all love me, and are constantly over at the house playing with my kids. I’ve got great neighbors.

My husband has so much leisure time, since he’s not constantly embarking on an improvement or fix-up project. He has more time to golf, play soccer, take the dog for a walk, go running, do electrical robot projects with the kids, read books…This leaves him more relaxed, and a lot more time for he and me to spend just being in the bedroom rather than remodeling it. (I hope adult humor is allowed here.) Believe me, homeownership is really overrated. I think the real estate industry has effectively brainwashed people into thinking it’s more meaningful than it really is. They lobbied Congress to enact mortgage tax deductions, and people figure if Congress thinks it’s good, it must be….

Although we will buy again, because eventually we want a home that’s paid off, I am enjoying my life as a renter. Immensely!

So I suggest that you think of what you’re yearning for, what you think that owning a home will provide, and perhaps you can fill that need some other way. Love to build? Check out Habitat for Humanity? Want to connect with neighbors? Go ahead.

I hope I gave some people a different perspective.