[samtho]

The problem is rarely cash flow, it's credit worthiness and access to a one-time down payment. Additionally, the types of mortgages people take out are fixed rate and your payment never changes (so long as you do not refinance) regardless of inflation, as such, you are paying less over time for your housing, especially compared to renting where rents tend to out pace inflation. Additionally, the money you put in for rent is just flowing down the drain as you receive no long term equity or value benefit once it leaves your bank account. As the saying goes, it's expensive to be poor.