I want to share my thoughts on a debate I noticed online recently.

There’s a discussion about how, especially in this current market, you shouldn’t buy a home. The arguments are that homeownership is…

Too expensive…

Or a waste of money…

When you run the numbers, including maintenance fees and taxes, it may cost more to own a home than it is to rent.

Now, I’m not going to lie and say that homeownership doesn’t come with a price tag. I would never tell you to extend yourself financially to own a home if the math ain’t mathing.

However, there are a TON of resources to help first time homeowners, or anyone who wants to own a home, for little to no money!!

The key is to look at homeownership as a tool. We know, historically, that land and homeownership are used to build wealth…if you understand how to leverage it.

Let’s say you’re a homeowner who wants to start investing. If you’ve purchased your home in the last couple of years, you’re probably sitting on a decent amount of equity. You can use the equity to start investing in real estate…which is one of the many strategies I teach my cohort students!!

If you haven’t bought a house yet and are looking, again, it’s all about your strategy.

You can become a homeowner and investor at the same time by looking for houses that have a basement or a garage that you can turn into an extra unit or room to rent out. Or if the house has a decent sized backyard, you can think about adding a tiny home.

Or you could look for a multifamily, where you live in one unit and rent out the other(s). By leveraging these types of homes, you can instantly start bringing in income to help you cover the cost of your mortgage or utilities or home maintenance costs.

And yes, while the interest rates for mortgages are higher than we’ve seen in years, you can refinance once the rates start to go down again.

Don’t let fear or noise get in your way. If you’re leaning toward homeownership, but are second guessing yourself based on what you’re hearing in the news, I say it’s time to educate yourself!!

Get the information you need for your situation, and make a decision from there. Homeownership doesn’t have to look one way, and that’s the beauty of it!

When you’re thinking about a home, definitely don’t take on more than you can handle. There’s plenty of help out there, so if homeownership is something you want, don’t give up!