[seanmcdirmid]

There are huge transaction costs to buying and selling a home, renting could also be seen as a way to avoid those costs if you aren’t going to stay somewhere. But I rented for cheap in Beijing when housing to buy costs were super high, who wouldn’t rent a $1 million apartment for < $1000/month, buying in that market would have been dumb even without red tape to buy something.

[s1artibartfast]

Sure, I don't think many would disagree. Especially in places with large agent commissions and capital gains taxes