If you’re fortunate, then you’re making the choice to move on your own terms. Often, however, you’re in a countdown scenario: Perhaps work has relocated you or your spouse or the lease on your current rental is expiring. In this situation, before finding a place to live, you must decide between renting and buying.
Buying: The Pros
The greatest advantage to purchasing a home is that you own it. You can do whatever you please with it, and you build up equity over time. You don’t even need to fulfill the purchase for that equity to have value. If the family outgrows the home or you have to move again, you can sell and buy in a manner that allows you to maintain the investment made thus far. Also, this is currently an extreme buyers’ market, and as the market normalizes, you stand to earn great dividends on any wise housing investment.
Buying: The Cons
The biggest disadvantage to buying is that even in a buyers’ market, it is expensive. There are big upfront costs, upkeep costs, and a monthly mortgage that’s likely more expensive than rent would be. Another issue arises if you’re forced to move too soon. The buyers’ market that seems advantageous now can cause you to lose quite a bit of money if the value on the house has gone down in the short term.
Renting: The Pros
The greatest advantage to renting is the flexibility that you have. When it comes time to move, you can, easily, and even if the lease is not yet fulfilled, the biggest cost is sacrificing the security payment. The other main benefit is that renting is cheaper, at least in the short term, and if you’re not prepared to establish roots just yet, renting now is cheaper in the long term too. Additionally, if you are a low-income family, a great many programs are available to subsidize your rent.
Renting: The Cons
You don’t own a rental, so there are limitations on what you can do. Some apartment complexes won’t even allow a satellite dish, and your children might not have a backyard to play in. Another disadvantage, especially if you want a little luxury in your life, is that it is a renters’ market. This is, among other factors, a reaction to the buyer’s market.
Finding a Place to Live https://www.houstir.com/
Once you’ve determined whether to rent or buy, you can focus your effort and resources on finding a place to live. In this age of information, the greatest tool at your disposal is the Internet. Many directories exist online where you can search for properties for rent and sale in and around your destination.
In order to include private sellers and renters as well, newspapers are an excellent option. Most newspapers publish their classifieds online, so you can access the newspapers local to your destination. If the online directories and newspapers are yielding slow results, then consider involving a real estate agent. A real estate agent can perform much of the legwork before you arrive, and in the case of renting, the cost is often passed onto the renter.