I rented a house to live in most of my life and really enjoyed the ease of moving several times when I tired of a place. I paid rent well in advance and usually dealt direct with the landlord. Houses always appreciated but so did other more liquid investment classes. Later I borrowed (seven figures) to buy rental properties (houses). These gave me a six figure income and about a 40% margin after interest but more like 8% after all costs. My bank went jelly knees during the GFC making my 5 year loan rollover impossible. I bought one last house outright, for cash to live in. I also made a New Years resolution to not owe anyone anything, and (eventually) sold the investment properties at a gain. One month, my banker wanted to lend me to buy a Singapore shop house. 3 months later it was only calling for collateral after the banks blew up the financial system. Look at the situation now in places like Vancouver and Melbourne (Australia). Central bank incompetence makes housing look very risky for anyone who needs to borrow to own. Renting is a very safe, flexible approach.

Econo....mist!