| It used to be that both men and women waited | | | | someone else's pockets with nothing to show for |
| to become first-time homebuyers until they | | | | it. They dislike not being able to decorate as they |
| married. They rented or lived at home with | | | | wish or sharing space with roommates. |
| parents until Mr. or Ms. Right was found. | | | | For some locations and personal situations, |
| Today, according to the National Association of | | | | however, renting may be the best and cheapest |
| Realtors, one in every four home real estate | | | | alternative. You do not pay for repairs, |
| purchases are made by singles, with single women | | | | maintenance or property taxes. You have more |
| outnumbering the men by two-to-one. The cause | | | | flexibility to move when you wish, without being |
| is thought to be that many single men in their 20s | | | | concerned with first selling your real estate. So, if |
| or early 30s continue to live with their parents | | | | you are considering buying residential real estate, |
| until marriage, while single women are more apt | | | | compare your options carefully before making a |
| to move into rental real estate with friends after | | | | commitment. |
| college. Additionally, women are marrying later in | | | | Homeownership Benefits Are Many |
| life, attaining higher educational degrees, and | | | | Owners of real estate attain many benefits. |
| spending more time to establish their careers. This | | | | There are numerous real estate deductions at tax |
| provides them more available financial resources | | | | time on both federal and state income taxes, |
| to purchase their own real estate and move into | | | | especially if you purchased your home real estate |
| a place of their own. | | | | within the tax year. (See my article at this web |
| My daughter did this in her early 30s. A successful | | | | site, titled "Real Estate Tax Breaks for Your |
| web designer in West Palm Beach, Florida, she | | | | Home" for more benefits of homeownership.) |
| decided that she was wasting her money renting | | | | Because it is your home, you can make more |
| and wanted something that was hers. As with | | | | permanent changes through renovations and |
| most single renters, she purchased a condo | | | | decorating. Additionally, your investment generally |
| (townhouses are another good alternative for | | | | increases in value and you accumulate equity that |
| previous apartment dwellers). Though it was a big | | | | can be borrowed against in the future for |
| step and a huge commitment, she has a sense of | | | | necessities, such as the purchase of a car or that |
| security, satisfaction and accomplishment that | | | | vacation of which you always dreamed. |
| cannot be found through renting. | | | | Though buying real estate before marriage is a |
| Some Benefits of Renting | | | | big commitment, more and more singles are doing |
| After renting for several years, many singles | | | | just that and finding the move much more |
| become frustrated with their dollars going into | | | | rewarding than renting. |