[mtr]

Buying isn't always better than renting especially when you take into account interest payments, maintenance, closing and selling costs, taxes etc. So basically if the house doesn't increase in value enough to cover these costs than you are better off renting.

Check out this cool calculator for some more details: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/business/buy-rent-calcula...

[dedward]

This depends on whether you are buying for investment reasons or other reasons.

We buy plenty of things for non-ivestnemtn reasons - a house COULD be one of those things, depending on your situation.