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Rent vs. Own: A Real Estate Reality Check for Navigating Booms, Busts, and Bad Advice

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This guide to making the big decision by a real estate reporter is "a truly balanced look at an emotional subject . . . plenty of tips to keep you above water" (Mint.com). When it comes to real estate, renting vs. owning is always a big decision—not just whether to take the plunge, but when. The housing market can be volatile, and purchasing a home may be one of the biggest investment decisions you'll ever make. This guide offers a reality check that cuts through all the hype and helps you decide whether to buy now or keep renting. Expert finance and real estate reporter Jane Hodges, who has written for the Wall Street Journal, Seattle Times, and other top publications, explains how the housing market works and breaks down all the pros and cons of buying and renting—because contrary to popular belief, buying isn't the best choice in every situation. With dozens of success stories and cautionary tales from real-life renters and owners across the country, this indispensable manual gives confused consumers the tools to make the right decision for their budget, market, personal needs, and future. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chronicle Books LLC


Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more


Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 9, 2012


Language ‏ : ‎ English


File size ‏ : ‎ 2.9 MB


Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported


Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled


X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled


Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • Easy to read
Format: Kindle
I bought this book on my Kindle, which was a mistake. I didn't think I would want to mark pages and follow websites as much as I did so I'm planning to buy a paperback copy. The personal examples of what other people learned are great for making it an interesting read and the Author uses straight forward language. We currently own a home, but have decided not to make it our "forever home", so we are considering whether to sell and rent while we save for a bigger down-payment or buy the next house and be prepared to shell out at a higher interest rate with Private Mortgage Insurance. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2013 by M. Reynolds
    • Many good points and food for thoughts
Format: Kindle
I ended up buying a condo instead of continue to rent. I think I already knew that was the best choice for me and in general, but everyone has different circumstances. It was a good read and made me consider factors that I hadn't thought about before.
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2014 by Philip271
    • PRACTICAL ADVICE!
Format: Paperback
Great source especially for the first-time homebuyer.
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2020 by Diane Williams
    • Two Stars
Format: Paperback
Waste of money
Reviewed in the United States on October 20, 2014 by Hobbyandsupply
    • First time buyers...a good reality check
Format: Kindle
Provides a really good breakdown of the history of home ownership in America leading up to our value system and realities of ownership. Important read prior to a big home purchase.
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2023 by Giorgio
    • A nice counterpoint to conventional wisdom
Format: Paperback
Ms. Hodges addresses nicely the old chestnut about home-ownership being a no-brainer. By articulating the non-quantifiable costs of home ownership in a way that makes them compare nicely to the quantifiable costs, she makes it much easier to assess the matter beyond a normal dollars-and-cents analysis, making for a better 'big picture.' She also provides some good tips for first-time buyers. She suggested looking for community-sponsored home-buyer benefits, which I did, and found that I qualified for over $5k in community assistance, despite being single with a stable and comfortable income. I would have liked to see more analysis on ways to optimize an ROI, such as taking in a roomate. Even without this, Ms. Hodges provides an interesting and thoughtful framework in which to evaluate this huge decision. For me, after all was said and done, I opted to continue renting, preferring the mobility of rentals to the fixed nature of home ownership (something Ms. Hodges addresses at length in the book). ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2014 by Brandon
    • A Solid Resource for Beginning the Home Buying Process
Format: Kindle
The "Rent vs. Own" title is a little bit misleading. This book is geared heavily towards the reader who is currently renting but thinks he may be able to afford to buy. But let's be honest, nobody who is going to read this book has questions about renting - they've probably been doing it for years already! This book lightly delves into nearly every consideration for somebody considering purchasing their first property. Consider it a starting point for doing a lot more research. Hodges has included numerous examples from people who have been on both the winning and losing ends of home ownership which spices up this book a little bit more than others. She does an excellent job of driving home the fact that owning is riskier than renting, but with a potential higher payoff. This book is a good start. It's a good one to read before you've looked at a home, pre qualified for a mortgage, or selected a realtor. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2014 by Alex
    • Boring!
Format: Paperback
This book was so boring I couldn't finish it. The author seems to tell both sides but according to this book both sides are equal.
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2014 by HC

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