{"id":14007,"date":"2022-04-18T07:48:14","date_gmt":"2022-04-18T14:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=14007"},"modified":"2026-03-27T12:52:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T19:52:14","slug":"buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Reasons Buying a House Will Be 100% Worth It"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Buying your first house takes gumption. You resist splurging on Insta-worthy vacations to save for a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-much-down-payment-for-a-house\/\"> down payment<\/a>. Then you hold off on converting those savings into stocks for the latest plant-based start-up your cousin raves about. You fight every temptation in hopes of joining that glorious homebuyers\u2019 circle, and just before you pull the trigger, you stumble upon an infographic telling you renting is actually cheaper \u2014 is this struggle even worth it?<\/p>\n<p>The short answer is: yes. We\u2019ve got a long answer for you, too, and we\u2019ll cover nine benefits to homeownership that make buying a house totally worth it. But first, to be fair, let\u2019s touch on the perennial <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/rent-vs-own\/\">own vs. rent debate<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--1\" data-toc-header=\"Consider the caveats before you commit to a mortgage\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>Consider the caveats before you commit to a mortgage<\/h2>\n<p>Homeownership has its perks, but wealth-building and happiness are by no means guaranteed. To make buying a house worth it, you\u2019ll need to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Prepare your finances:<\/b> Buying a house includes an array of costs on top of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-save-for-a-house-down-payment\/\">down payment<\/a> (think: Realtor\u00ae fees, home insurance, property taxes, home maintenance costs, and so on). Calculate how much you should save with our<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Make-Homeownership-Happen-How-to-save-up-for-your-dream-house-step-by-step.pdf\"> first-time homebuyers guide<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><b>Commit to a location:<\/b> Investment-wise, housing is a long game, not a short one. The rate of return on a housing investment<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jchs.harvard.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/hbtl-06.pdf\"> significantly increases the longer it\u2019s held<\/a> as your equity grows and your home appreciates in value over time. If you\u2019re ready to move for a job at the drop of a hat, consider renting until you settle into an area.<\/li>\n<li><b>Buy the right house: <\/b>Buying the wrong house can lead to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/most-common-regrets-homebuyers\/\"> buyer\u2019s remorse<\/a> \u2014 or worse: foreclosure. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/find-real-estate-agents\/buying\">Team up with a top real estate agent<\/a> so you can<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/why-use-a-real-estate-agent\/\"> find the right home for your needs<\/a> (and negotiate the best deal for your wallet).<\/li>\n<li><b>Resist refinancing for the wrong reasons: <\/b>Just because you <i>can<\/i> tap into your home\u2019s equity, that doesn\u2019t mean you <i>should<\/i>. Avoid refinancing your house to pay off debts or purchase consumable goods that don\u2019t add value to your property. Refinancing your home<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jchs.harvard.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/hbtl-06.pdf\"> detracts from your forced savings<\/a> and often<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/should-i-refinance-my-mortgage-or-sell\/\"> costs more<\/a> than the promised lower interest rate is worth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In other words, if you\u2019re strapped for cash or you\u2019re only planning to live somewhere for a couple of years, renting is probably still your best option. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-closing-costs-for-buyer\/\">upfront costs<\/a> associated with buying a home can amount to thousands of dollars, and \u2014 pandemic-induced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-is-a-sellers-market\/\">seller\u2019s markets<\/a> aside \u2014 it can often take years for your home\u2019s value to increase.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, responsible homebuying involves lots of preparation (and perhaps even more patience), and only you can determine when and if you\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n<p>That said, there are lots of reasons why owning a home is pretty great!<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--2\" data-toc-header=\"1. You have to live somewhere\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>1. You have to live somewhere<\/h2>\n<p>At the end of the day, you have to live somewhere \u2014 so why not own the place you call home? If your lifestyle and livelihood tick the \u201cdoes this make sense\u201d boxes for homeownership, then buying a house is definitely worth it. Perhaps especially now, on the heels of a pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSupply and demand drives economics beyond anything,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/agents\/adam-slivka-pa-320777\">Adam Slivka<\/a>, an Irwin, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/states\/pa\">Pennsylvania<\/a>-based agent with a decade of experience. \u201cAt the beginning of this year, nationally we\u2019re at one-third of the home inventory we were at a couple of years ago at this same time. I just don\u2019t see that the amount of inventory is going to increase fast enough to fulfill demand, which means I think prices are going to continue to go up.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Slivka also points out that mortgage <a href=\"https:\/\/tradingeconomics.com\/united-states\/mortgage-rate\/news\/503329\">interest rates are increasing<\/a> \u2014 so not only are home prices still rising, you\u2019ll also pay more for the home in the long run.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s an old saying about how the best time to invest was yesterday; the second-best time is today \u2014 the same is true for prospective homebuyers.<\/p>\n<section class=\"building-block bb-type-default bb-agent-quote bg-none\" id=\"bb-1\"><div class=\"body block\"><div class=\"container-fluid\"><div class=\"block-content\">            <blockquote class=\"post-blockquote\">\n                <q>If you\u2019re buying a house for 10 years or more, if it\u2019s long-term, if you\u2019re building a family, a house is more than an investment, financially. It\u2019s an investment in your family; it\u2019s an investment for you to have a foundation to build on.<\/q>\n                                    <div class=\"contributors\">\n                        <ul class=\"list\">\n                            <li>\n                                <div class=\"inner\">\n                                    <div class=\"opener\">\n                                        <div class=\"avatar\">\n                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.homelight.com\/uploads\/agent\/picture\/2314392\/normal_DSC_3260.jpeg\" alt=\"Daniel Robins\">\n                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"info\">\n                                            <strong>Daniel Robins<\/strong>\n                                            <span>Real Estate Agent<\/span>\n                                        <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n\n                                    <div class=\"contributors-detail-modal\">\n                                        <div class=\"holder\">\n                                            <a href=\"#\" class=\"icon-close close\">\n                                                <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Close<\/span>\n                                            <\/a>\n                                            <div class=\"top\">\n                                                <div class=\"avatar\">\n                                                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.homelight.com\/uploads\/agent\/picture\/2314392\/normal_DSC_3260.jpeg\" alt=\"Daniel Robins\">\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                                <div class=\"info\">\n                                                    <strong>Daniel Robins<\/strong>\n                                                                                                            <span>Real Estate Agent at RE\/MAX DIRECT<\/span>\n                                                                                                        <div class=\"rating\">\n                                                                                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                            <\/div>\n                                                                                            <div class=\"btm\">\n                                                    <ul class=\"exp-list inline-list\">\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Years of Experience<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>24<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Transactions<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>273<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Average Price Point<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>$452k<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                                    <li>\n                                                                <span>Single Family Homes<\/span>\n                                                                <strong>198<\/strong>\n                                                            <\/li>\n                                                                                                            <\/ul>\n                                                <\/div>\n                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                    <\/div>\n                                <\/div>\n                            <\/li>\n                        <\/ul>\n                    <\/div>\n                            <\/blockquote>\n        <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<div id=\"section--3\" data-toc-header=\"2. Your home isn\u2019t supposed to be an investment\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>2. Your home isn\u2019t <i>supposed <\/i>to be an investment<\/h2>\n<p>Okay, so we just made an investment reference, but buying a house <a href=\"https:\/\/www.moneyunder30.com\/why-your-house-is-not-an-investment\">isn\u2019t technically meant to serve as an investment<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The premise is that property <i>is<\/i> a financial investment because, historically, real estate appreciates in value over time. But you have to sell in order to profit, and the primary purpose of a house is to, well, <i>house<\/i> people.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re buying a house for 10 years or more, if it\u2019s long-term, if you\u2019re building a family, a house is more than an investment, financially,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/agents\/daniel-robins-pa-067150\">Daniel Robins<\/a>, a top agent in West Chester, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/states\/pa\">Pennsylvania<\/a> who has been selling real estate for 20 years. \u201cIt\u2019s an investment in your family; it\u2019s an investment for you to have a foundation to build on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even if you don\u2019t plan to live in the same house for the rest of your life, if you focus too much on the concept of your home as an investment rather than a shelter, you may be tempted to tap into your equity and borrow against the house. While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/what-is-home-equity\/\">using home equity<\/a> certainly can be done responsibly \u2014 and can even contribute to improving the value of your home \u2014 such activity isn\u2019t without risk.<\/p>\n<p>How does all of this contribute to the argument that buying a house is worth it? It\u2019s all about perspective. If you buy a house and think of it as a home, a safe space, a true shelter for your family \u2014 and moreover, as something you <i>own<\/i> and thus have the security of knowing you have that shelter for the foreseeable future \u2014 you can relax and enjoy perhaps more than if you go into the decision strictly with the intent of turning a profit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor me, if it\u2019s 10-years-plus, don\u2019t worry about it \u2014 go out there and find a house,\u201d says Robins.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--4\" data-toc-header=\"3. But paying a mortgage does help you save\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>3. But paying a mortgage does help you save<\/h2>\n<p>Buying a home builds long-term wealth through \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.financialsamurai.com\/mortgage-as-a-forced-savings-account-to-build-wealth\/\">forced savings<\/a>.\u201d With each mortgage payment, you pay down your debt and accumulate equity in your house. You save automatically compared to the conscious effort needed to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jchs.harvard.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/hbtl-06.pdf\"> allocate money into your investments or savings account<\/a>. When you reach the finish line of the mortgage marathon, you own an asset worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars outright.<br \/>\nEager to play devil\u2019s advocate, some economists argue that, depending on the housing market, you can theoretically<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2014\/upshot\/buy-rent-calculator.html\"> save more money renting compared to buying a house<\/a>. This stance highlights that homeowners expend more recurring costs than renters (for example, property taxes, mortgage interest, maintenance costs, homeowner\u2019s insurance, and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-what-is-an-hoa\/\"> homeowners association<\/a> or HOA fees).<\/p>\n<p>Yet real data from the latest federal Survey of Consumer Finances reveals the average homeowner boasts a<a href=\"https:\/\/cepr.net\/images\/stories\/reports\/wealth-of-households-2017-11.pdf\"> net worth of $195,400 compared to just $5,400 of the average renter<\/a>; that\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/05\/09\/magazine\/how-homeownership-became-the-engine-of-american-inequality.html\"> 36 times greater wealth<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The difference between theory and practice? Discipline. For most Americans, forced savings is a hell of a lot easier than<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jchs.harvard.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/hbtl-06.pdf\"> resisting the temptation to spend<\/a> the spare cash they\u2019d need to consistently save or invest to make renting a better deal.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--5\" data-toc-header=\"4. Stabilize your monthly housing costs\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>4. Stabilize your monthly housing costs<\/h2>\n<p>Life\u2019s full of surprises \u2014 housing doesn\u2019t need to be one of them. When you buy a home, you remove the threat of landlord changes, lease termination, and rent spikes, a bane particularly plaguing city dwellers.<\/p>\n<p>While the national average rent has<a href=\"https:\/\/www.officialdata.org\/Rent-of-primary-residence\/price-inflation\/2014-to-2024\"> steadily risen in recent years (11.3% between 2014<\/a> and 2019), rent in expanding metro areas has lurched to new heights. As of February 2022, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/1063502\/average-monthly-apartment-rent-usa\/\">average rent<\/a> for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,295 per month \u2014 varying <a href=\"https:\/\/worldpopulationreview.com\/state-rankings\/average-rent-by-state\">from $1,617 in Hawaii to $725 in West Virginia<\/a>. Statistically, your rent is likely to increase year over year. And if you live in a major metro area \u2014 think New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and so on \u2014 rent increases are all but guaranteed.<\/p>\n<p>As a homeowner, meanwhile, your property taxes and home insurance rates may fluctuate, but you can control the majority of your monthly housing costs with a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/protect-yourself-unexpected-mortgage-rate-increases\/\"> fixed-rate mortgage<\/a>. For even greater predictability, take control of your monthly utility bills with these energy-saving tactics:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Swap out old appliances for new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-green-home-improvements\/\">energy-efficient<\/a> models.<\/li>\n<li>Insulate your home with dual-pane windows and door sweeps.<\/li>\n<li>Convert to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.epa.gov\/watersense\/what-plant\"> drought-resistant landscaping<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Switch your utilities to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thebalance.com\/what-is-budget-billing-2385943\"> budget billing<\/a>, and set monthly utility payment based on your average yearly usage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"section--6\" data-toc-header=\"5. Grow with a local community\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>5. Grow with a local community<\/h2>\n<p>When you buy a house, you\u2019re not just another tenant swinging through a rental\u2019s revolving door. You\u2019re tethered to a location, tied to a community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBuying a home gives you roots. You meet a community, you become part of that community, and you establish a long-term relationship with a neighborhood, regardless of what age or demographic you are,\u201d shares <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/agents\/christina-griffin-fl-00706001\">Christina Griffin<\/a>, a top-selling real estate agent in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/tampa-fl\/top-real-estate-agents\">Tampa<\/a>, Florida, with 18 years of experience helping buyers find the perfect home.<\/p>\n<p>Communities with high own-to-rent ratios enjoy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gmar.com\/data\/resources_files\/Social%20Benefits%20of%20Homeownership%20%20Stable%20Housing.pdf\">less crime, higher property values, and better voter turnouts<\/a>. Neighbors connect through HOAs and online networks like<a href=\"https:\/\/nextdoor.com\/\"> Nextdoor<\/a> to organize everything from neighborhood watch to Fourth of July bike parades. An ongoing 80-year study by Harvard proves a<a href=\"https:\/\/news.harvard.edu\/gazette\/story\/2017\/04\/over-nearly-80-years-harvard-study-has-been-showing-how-to-live-a-healthy-and-happy-life\/\"> sense of community is essential to living a long and healthy life<\/a> \u2014 all the more reason to settle in and stay a while.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--7\" data-toc-header=\"6. Take advantage of homeowner tax breaks\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>6. Take advantage of homeowner tax breaks<\/h2>\n<p>Talking tax benefits is still talking taxes, so we\u2019ll make this quick. Here are the top tax breaks for homeowners:<\/p>\n<h3>Mortgage interest tax deduction<\/h3>\n<p>Deduct interest on up to $750,000 of a home loan for married couples, plus<a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/help\/ita\/can-i-deduct-my-mortgage-related-expenses\"> mortgage points<\/a> if you bought them at closing.<\/p>\n<h3>Mortgage tax credit<\/h3>\n<p>Lower-income households who received a qualified Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) to purchase a house receive a credit amount of 10% to 50% of mortgage interest paid during the year.<\/p>\n<h3>Energy incentives<\/h3>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irs.gov\/newsroom\/energy-incentives-for-individuals-residential-property-updated-questions-and-answers\">residential energy efficient property credit<\/a> offers tax breaks on certain eco-friendly upgrades made to your home. This includes things like qualifying HVAC systems, water heaters, new windows, and more.<\/p>\n<h3>Home sale tax exclusion<\/h3>\n<p>When it\u2019s time to sell, enjoy a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nolo.com\/legal-encyclopedia\/when-home-sellers-can-reduce-capital-gains-tax-using-expenses-sale.html\"> tax break on capital gains<\/a> of $250,000 for single homeowners and $500,000 for married homeowners filing jointly. You\u2019ll need to pay tax on profit beyond this threshold. See our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/taxes-selling-house\/\">full breakdown of the calculation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Implicit savings with imputed rent<\/h3>\n<p>Put on your thinking cap and pour yourself a double espresso for this one. Homeowners in the U.S. benefit from the hidden imputed rent tax break, meaning the government does not tax the payments you make as a homeowner into your mortgage as they would if those payments were funneled through a renter. Check out Business Insider\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/imputed-rent-hidden-tax-break-homeowners-2016-9\"> breakdown<\/a> of this tricky, but wicked concept.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--8\" data-toc-header=\"7. Design your house so you feel at home\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>7. Design your house so you feel at home<\/h2>\n<p>Throw out your Command hooks and nail that oil painting to the wall! Home design is one of the most entertaining parts of owning a house (HGTV is the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/realestate\/as-seen-on-tv-many-homeowners-find-inspiration-in-home-makeover-programs\/2018\/05\/09\/38f754e8-4b1c-11e8-9072-f6d4bc32f223_story.html\"> fourth-most-watched cable network in the country<\/a>, after all\u2026).<\/p>\n<p>Enjoy free rein tailoring each room to your personal taste until you feel at home.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/research-and-statistics\/research-reports\/remodeling-impact\"> Seventy-four percent of homeowners shared they have a greater desire to spend time in their house after remodeling<\/a>. Your interior design and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/low-maintenance-curb-appeal\/\"> curb appeal enhancements<\/a> not only improve your lifestyle, but they also have the potential to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/easy-ways-to-increase-home-value\/\"> add value to your home<\/a>, making a messy DIY weekend absolutely worth it.<\/p>\n<p>So go ahead \u2014 paint the walls blue, convert a closet to a wine rack, install a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/mailbox-curb-appeal\/\"> mid-century mailbox<\/a>. The world is your oyster.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--9\" data-toc-header=\"8. Enjoy the comforts of increased privacy\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>8. Enjoy the comforts of increased privacy<\/h2>\n<p>Buying a house buys you privacy: no more nosy drive-bys or 24-hour entry notices from your landlord. When the A\/C blows hot as July, you choose the service provider and pick a time best for your schedule (probably with greater urgency than a landlord would).<\/p>\n<p>You can also increase your privacy with physical home additions such as front yard fences, backyard lattices, and clever landscaping; or add smart home security systems like<a href=\"https:\/\/shop.ring.com\/pages\/security-system\"> Ring<\/a>, which sends alerts and live footage of your home\u2019s entry points straight to your phone. You\u2019re in control of your family\u2019s privacy and comfort.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--10\" data-toc-header=\"9. Say hello to your new side hustle\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>9. Say hello to your new side hustle<\/h2>\n<p>Quit working for Uber and turn your house into your side hustle. Earn money from your spare rooms so you can pay off your debt or subsidize your mortgage.<\/p>\n<p>For couples buying a home to grow into, the money you earn from those extra bedrooms can go toward the college fund of your future kids they\u2019re designated for.<\/p>\n<h3>Host with Airbnb<\/h3>\n<p>Experience travel vicariously through hosting guests with Airbnb. On average, Airbnb hosts earn<a href=\"https:\/\/priceonomics.com\/how-much-are-people-making-from-the-sharing\/\"> $924 a month<\/a>; with high-priced outliers taken into consideration, the median earning is still $440 a month.<\/p>\n<p>Offer weekly and monthly discount rates to compete with hotels and short-term rentals, and charge a cleaning fee to refresh the space between guests. Regulations placing limitations on Airbnb are continuing to develop, so be sure to check your<a href=\"https:\/\/priceonomics.com\/how-much-are-people-making-from-the-sharing\/\"> local laws<\/a> and HOA rules before listing.<\/p>\n<h3>Rent a room<\/h3>\n<p>If you\u2019d prefer a longer-term roommate, rent your spare bedroom to a local student or young professional. A recent analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data suggests if Americans rented out their spare bedrooms, they\u2019d earn<a href=\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/rent-spare-bedroom\"> $6.2 billion a week<\/a>. You\u2019ll need to claim the rent for income taxes, but you will also benefit from<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nolo.com\/legal-encyclopedia\/tax-issues-when-renting-out-room-your-house.html\"> deductions on repairs<\/a> like carpet replacement.<\/p>\n<h3>Split your mortgage with a duplex<\/h3>\n<p>Buying a duplex provides a balance of rental income and privacy \u2014 your renters aren\u2019t sharing your personal living space.<\/p>\n<p>Griffin explains that duplexes are big in Tampa: \u201cPeople are liking duplexes. They&#8217;re selling at top dollar right now. They&#8217;ll have a family living in one unit, then they&#8217;ll rent the other side, and it covers most of the mortgage payment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Buying a duplex also teaches you the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/trulia\/2016\/07\/29\/5-reasons-your-first-home-should-be-a-duplex\/#7187ae3b6f6c\"> ins-and-outs of real estate investments<\/a>. Learn the laws, test your landlord abilities, and convert your half into a second rental when you\u2019re ready to move your family to an upgraded home.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--11\" data-toc-header=\"10. Achieve mortgage-free living and sail into retirement\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>10. Achieve mortgage-free living and sail into retirement<\/h2>\n<p>The biggest reason why buying a house is worth it? When you pay your house off, you own an asset outright, which you can also live in (not to mention sip celebratory Champagne inside of). <a href=\"https:\/\/policyadvice.net\/insurance\/insights\/home-ownership-statistics\/#:~:text=What%20percentage%20of%20homes%20are,homeowners%20paying%20off%20their%20mortgages.\">Thirty-seven percent of U.S. households are owned outright<\/a>, their occupants \u201cfree and clear\u201d of mortgage payments. Accomplish outright homeownership and enjoy saving or spending the significant portion of your income previously assigned to housing.<\/p>\n<p>When you reach retirement, this dispensable sum is ever more important as your income fixes. With minimal housing costs (property taxes, utilities, HOAs, and so on), you greatly increase your monthly spending budget \u2014 say aloha to a spontaneous trip to Hawaii!<\/p>\n<p>Even if the house you buy now isn\u2019t the one you\u2019ll take off from, you can always<a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/selling-for-retirement\/\"> sell the house to help fund your retirement<\/a>. The average American has<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/jamiehopkins\/2017\/04\/24\/how-your-house-can-help-pay-for-retirement\/#37fc5785514e\"> roughly twice as much value in home equity<\/a> as they have in their retirement savings. Selling your house allows you to liquidize your equity and put it toward buying a smaller house for cash or moving to a more affordable state.<\/p>\n<div id=\"section--12\" data-toc-header=\"11. Pride of ownership is profound\" data-toc-type=\"head\"><\/div>\n<h2>11. Pride of ownership is profound<\/h2>\n<p>Buying your first house is a mega-accomplishment, an important life milestone, even a realization of the so-called American Dream. In a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors\u00ae, buyers ranked \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nar.realtor\/research-and-statistics\/research-reports\/home-buyer-and-seller-generational-trends\">desire to own my own home<\/a>\u201d as their primary reason for buying a house.<\/p>\n<p>The majority of surveys show that citizens still view homeownership as a part of their American dream (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.apartmentlist.com\/research\/2018-millennial-homeownership-report-american-dream-delayed\">in 2018, 90% of millennials said they aspired to buy a house someday<\/a>, though even then they felt the goal was out of reach for several years). When you buy a house, you own land, you express greater independence \u2014 you\u2019re the master of your domain.<\/p>\n<h2>When you\u2019re ready, buying a house is worth it<\/h2>\n<p>Buying a house is a major commitment, but the financial and lifestyle benefits are well worth the cost. Real estate is not the only investment out there, but it\u2019s certainly one of the most rewarding. After all, achieving homeownership is about more than buying a house \u2014 it\u2019s about settling into a home.<\/p>\n<p><em>Header Image Source: (Skitterphoto \/ Pexels.com)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Buying a house is a major commitment, but fear not \u2014 the benefits of homeownership are well worth the struggle. Here are 9 perks that come with the keys.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":135,"featured_media":14012,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[192,620,625],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-buyers","category-buy-house","category-rent-or-buy"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Is Buying a House Worth It?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Buying a house is a major commitment, but fear not \u2014 buying a house is absolutely worth it. Here are 9 perks that come with the keys.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"9 Reasons Buying a House Will Be 100% Worth It\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Buying a house is a major commitment, but fear not \u2014 buying a house is absolutely worth it. Here are 9 perks that come with the keys.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HomeLight Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/amber.taufen.3\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-04-18T14:48:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-27T19:52:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is-buying-a-house-worth-it.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Amber Taufen\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Amber Taufen\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Is Buying a House Worth It?","description":"Buying a house is a major commitment, but fear not \u2014 buying a house is absolutely worth it. Here are 9 perks that come with the keys.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"9 Reasons Buying a House Will Be 100% Worth It","og_description":"Buying a house is a major commitment, but fear not \u2014 buying a house is absolutely worth it. Here are 9 perks that come with the keys.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/","og_site_name":"HomeLight Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/amber.taufen.3\/","article_published_time":"2022-04-18T14:48:14+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-27T19:52:14+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is-buying-a-house-worth-it.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Amber Taufen","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@gohomelight","twitter_site":"@gohomelight","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Amber Taufen","Est. reading time":"13 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":["Article","BlogPosting"],"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/"},"author":{"name":"Amber Taufen","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1a9cb6a7b25cc51c499f82d20768b28d"},"headline":"9 Reasons Buying a House Will Be 100% Worth It","datePublished":"2022-04-18T14:48:14+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-27T19:52:14+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/"},"wordCount":2877,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is-buying-a-house-worth-it.jpg","articleSection":["Buyers","Get Started","Rent vs. Buy"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/","name":"Is Buying a House Worth It?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is-buying-a-house-worth-it.jpg","datePublished":"2022-04-18T14:48:14+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-27T19:52:14+00:00","description":"Buying a house is a major commitment, but fear not \u2014 buying a house is absolutely worth it. Here are 9 perks that come with the keys.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is-buying-a-house-worth-it.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/is-buying-a-house-worth-it.jpg","width":1500,"height":800,"caption":"Source: (Skitterphoto \/ Pexels.com)"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-is-buying-a-house-worth-it\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"9 Reasons Buying a House Will Be 100% Worth It"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","name":"HomeLight Blog","description":"Real Estate Advice from America&#039;s Top Agents","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"HomeLight","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/logo-hr-color.png","width":1348,"height":262,"caption":"HomeLight"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/","https:\/\/x.com\/gohomelight","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/homelight\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCimugR9XF17-OZ7B9fNnxWw","https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/HomeLight"],"description":"Everything you need to know to sell your house faster and for more money. Articles, guides, and advice from top agents all over the U.S.","email":"support@homelight.com","telephone":"(888) 688-0350","legalName":"HomeLight","foundingDate":"2012-01-01","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"201","maxValue":"500"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/1a9cb6a7b25cc51c499f82d20768b28d","name":"Amber Taufen","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2c25c507fd940b55aa542febbeeaa836b0405115402d8bed7d97e9b9a98c6e84?s=96&d=blank&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2c25c507fd940b55aa542febbeeaa836b0405115402d8bed7d97e9b9a98c6e84?s=96&d=blank&r=g","caption":"Amber Taufen"},"description":"Amber was one of HomeLight\u2019s Buyer Center editors and has been a real estate content expert since 2014. The former editor-in-chief at Inman, she was named a \u201cTrendsetter\u201d in the 2017 Swanepoel Power 200 list, which acknowledges \u201cinnovators, dealmakers, and movers-and-shakers who made a noteworthy impact over the last year\u201d in real estate, and her assessment of revenue and expenses at the National Association of Realtors won a NAREE Gold Award for \u201cBest Economic Analysis\u201d in 2017.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.homelight.com","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/amber.taufen.3\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/amber-taufen-90030312\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/author\/amber-taufen\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14007","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14007"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14007\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14012"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14007"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14007"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14007"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}