[chii]

> This in turn is relevant because your mobility becomes relevant.

you don't need to sell, just rent out the apartment when you move.

With the rental income, you can pay for a similarly priced location in the new place. Then, when the market fits, make the sale, and you've lost very little (if anything), except upkeep costs due to rental damage, etc.

[lotsofpulp]

The risks of renting property are not to be understated. Unless you have significant time, cash, and drive to deal with the myriad issues tenants can have and possibly lawyers, it can easily be a net loss especially with the stress involved.

[scarface74]

You say just rent it out like renting doesn't have its own downsides like finding decent tenants, dealing with repairs, having to carry the mortgage when you have vacancies, dealing with evictions when they don't pay.

Even in a landlord friendly state it can take 2-3 months to evict someone for non payment. In some states I've heard that it can take a year.

I've been a landlord, never again.

[azeotropic]

This is also the downside of renting -- the other tenants can be lousy. Banks know this and will not lend in buildings without a minimum rate of owner occupied units.

I'd guess that one of the reasons home prices in 'nice' neighborhoods are so high (or HOAs charge high dues) is a sort of signaling, similar to nuptial gifts in animals, that you have your act together and are invested in being a good neighbor.

[scarface74]

I could never see myself buying anything that's not a detached house. It seems like you have too many of the downsides of renting. When I was living in an apartment, a never once said, "if only I could buy this place and have to deal with people on each side of me".

But as far as buying in a high priced area or even renting in a high priced area, price does provide a filter.

[bryanrasmussen]

renting out an apartment when you move does affect your options however because as such you will have the legal obligations of a landlord, and if not that because you have signed a deal with someone else to have those obligations on your behalf you will still need to pay those people and keep track of them.

Owning things adds friction one way or another.