NADINE PELLETIER - THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO BUYING A HOME

family needs.

At the other end of the age spectrum are homeowners nearing retirement who may desire to sell their homes, downsize, avoid the maintenance and other obligations, and go back to renting or moving into a multi-generational property with children and grandchildren, which seems to be the trend.

WHICH IS BEST?

Is it better to rent or buy a home? Most adults ask themselves this at some point as they form their goals and plan for the years ahead. Before you answer the question, here are some things to ask yourself. Owning and renting each have their advantages, but what’s best for you depends on your circumstances. What will be the duration of your stay in the home? Each market is different, but whether the time you plan to spend in the house warrants its purchase is possible to predict. In most markets, general terms, it takes four to seven years to break even on a home (i.e., where there has been enough appreciation to pay back the cost of the transaction and cost of ownership). Typically, if you’re thinking about buying a home and selling it in two years, buying is very unlikely to be cheaper than renting. That being said the current market makes it easier to upgrade in a much shorter period of time. In each market, your agent can best advise you of current trends and update your evaluation yearly if so desired. Do you think of or need your house as an investment in your retirement plan? Americans are used to their homes being a store for wealth to liquidate in retirement when downsizing their lifestyle. In 2015, Gallup reported that for the second straight year, more Americans named real estate more than stocks, gold, savings accounts/CDs, or bonds as the best long-term investment. Real estate leads, with 31% of Americans choosing

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