To Buy or Rent a House - That is the Question

Posted by Martin Smith
3
Apr 16, 2013
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At certain point the question of whether to buy a property or to rent it becomes a milestone in our lives. It is an important question, but the answer is never straightforward. It depends on many things such as the real estate market conditions, your personal circumstances, and it's never an easy decision to make. This article will try to ease up your choice by providing you with some of the important things that must be considered before deciding whether to purchase a home or simply to rent it.

The first thing that most people think when it comes to buying a home is if they will be able to pay the mortgage. The majority of people believe that if their current rent payment equals a possible mortgage payment then it is worth buying a property which you can call your own, and this seems very logical, but is the reality so simple? Well, not quite. Having a house is much more than just paying your mortgage. You will also have to consider other expenses, such as property tax, homeowner insurance as well as the endless repairs and maintenance costs which will be necessary over the years. So when calculating the real total of your costs, end of lease cleaning professionals in Melbourne suggest to add 40-45% of your mortgage to determine your actual potential spendings.

Next thing to consider is your future plans. Are you planning to live in the house for long? Or is relocating a possibility? If the latter is more likely to occur then renting is the much better choice, firstly because you won't have to go through the hassle of selling when you need to move out, and secondly you won't risk losing money on the sale. Additionally, considering how secure is your job is also important. If you have been working in the same company for the past 5-10 or more years, then it will seem much safer option to purchase a house, but if you have just recently graduated and this is your first job, where you have started from the lowest level, then it is much better to wait for a couple of years.

Finally, you should also think of the value which your property will have if you decide to resale it. If you want to purchase a house, live there for several year and then sale it, then this, in my opinion, is a great investment for the future. However, if your plan is to buy a property and resale it shortly after, then you might end up losing money. First of all, the real estate market is still recovering from the economic crisis and since not so many are looking to buy houses, then you will most probably lose money. Moreover, if something unexpected happens and you need to sell the house urgently (you got a promotion in different city for example), then again, you might not be able to unload your property for a decent price.

So, as you can see buying a property has its downsides, therefore I strongly recommend you consider your current situation first and look at the big picture in your life before making a decision.
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