Comment by lotsofpulp

If you’re single or a couple with no dependents who doesn’t mind moving every now and then, renting isn’t so bad. You avoid the risk of dealing with damage to the structure, fixing things, labor markets being disrupted (like factory towns or smaller towns everywhere in the US). Take all that saved up money and put it in a low cost index fund, you very well might come ahead, and be liquid when you need to move because the jobs disappeared. And rents definitely don’t always go up.