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Advantages And Disadvantages Of Renting

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Personal Finance Throughout one’s lifetime, most people will face the choice of whether to rent of own their home. In general, this decision is presented early in one’s adult life and the answer is dictated by the stage of life that said person is in. For most people, renting is where they begin their independence from parents. This may start as early as post high school, and may continue until one chooses a career and finds out where they would like to plant roots. Regardless of the timeline, there are some discreet advantages and disadvantages to renting versus owning one’s home. One of the major advantages to renting a home is the limited liability that it entails. One has limited financial obligations in that a lease is generally relatively short term, a year or two, and can usually be bought out or terminated if needed. Renters also benefit from limited maintenance liability and cost. Typically, the major mechanical upkeep of a rental property will fall on the landlord. If your rental suddenly needs a new roof, or major appliance, this will usually be covered and installed by the owner of the property. One also maintains more liquidity and mobility when renting in that they are free to move onto a new rental with very little effort, and within a short period of time. This is often attractive to those who are present in an area for a short period of time, for school, or are just starting a new career (Siegal, R. & Yacht, C., 2009).. A key disadvantage to renting property is that the money you are paying to live in a home does not grow equity or store value. There are often limitations on rentals with regards to decorations, renovations, pets, smoking, etc. There is also a less predictable curve when it comes to cost. If the rental market inflates, your cost can be expected to jump at a higher rate than if you were to own your house with a variable interest rate mortgage. On that same note, rent increases are generally expected over time and one’s cost of living may steadily increase the longer one stays in the same rental (Siegal, R. & Yacht, C., 2009). When owning a home, one of the major advantages lies in your ability to grow equity and store value in the property. As you pay your

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