[ghaff]

>It's not like running a business.

It sometimes feels that way :-)

I don't really disagree with you although the risk-adjusted finances of rent vs. buy are less clear than a lot of people make them out to be in the absence of 20-20 hindsight. Especially if you reach a point where you're fairly locked into an area for whatever reason, it mostly makes sense to buy if you can. If the work associated with owning a house is a big deterrent, there are lower-effort alternatives like many condos.