Fearful, it’s just against my grain to spend any more than I have to on rent. Yes, I could afford $5K a month and get a really cool pad, but to me, that’s wasteful, and insane! I have run the numbers, factoring in opportunity costs and so forth, and at around $300K, buying equals renting at my current rent. Remember, I’m currently renting a house listed for $1M, and it’s a real POS. Can you imagine what $300K buys? A crappy 2 bd. condo, that’s what. I need to stay in this area for my business, or else I would have bought something around Temecula/Murrieta, where the bargains seem to be for now. It just seems like if this housing decline, that has yet to come to my area, drags on for many years, eventually I could have bought something with all the rent money I will spend over those years. Let’s see, 5 yrs. of rent at $32K per year equals $160K. 10 yrs. equals $320K! I think you’ll agree with me that there is something to be said for owning your own home. Right now, it only makes sense for a $300K home, which doesn’t buy you much, sadly. I agree with you, when I log into my online accounts, I feel better….for a while.
