31 Jan Renting Vs. Owning – What To Know Before Buying Your First Home
Chances are, you’ve heard from countless people that owning a home is the best financial decision you can make. By investing in property, you’re accumulating net worth over time. By renting, you’re “throwing money out the window”.
Although people will always need a place to live, which costs money regardless, there are definitely a few major upsides to owning property.
Renting offers tenants flexibility, predictable monthly expenses, and the peace of mind of knowing that somebody else will cover the cost and time needed to make any necessary repairs to the property you’re living in. You don’t have to worry about the sudden cost of replacing a new roof, and your biggest concern is whether your landlord will sell the property or increase your rent at the end of each lease term.
On the other hand, home ownership provides you with the coveted opportunity to build long term equity, a sense of stability, and a feeling of belonging to your community. It provides you with the freedom to renovate to your heart’s content, the ability to grow your net worth within a secure investment and the future potential to earn rental income and pay off your mortgage faster by renting out your basement, or a spare room within your home.
There is also the added possibility of your home increasing exponentially in value over several years. We’ve seen this at an increasing pace in Ottawa, with the value of local homes skyrocketing within even the past year. This means that you could easily have bought something at $400,000 just a year or two ago, and now be able to sell it for $550,000 in the current bidding war climate.
Do note that your new home will come with several expenses in addition to your mortgage before making the decision to buy. Some of these expenses include: transactional costs, property taxes, garbage removal, water and sewer service, repairs and maintenance around the house, pest control, landscaping, homeowners insurance and mortgage interest. However, pretty soon you’ll be chipping away at your principal payments and eventually, will own your home outright – putting several hundreds of thousands of dollars in your pocket!
Choosing whether to rent or buy is a unique decision that will be different for everyone depending on their lifestyle and personal preferences. Our team has the knowledge and experience to help you make the best decision based on your needs. Give us a call today at 613-228-3888.
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