Buying a house is still the best long-term financial move for most families, despite what the rent-is-cheaper crowd says. I've rented for a decade and watched my landlord's mortgage stay flat while my rent climbed 40%. Yes, maintenance and taxes sting, but at least those payments build equity instead of disappearing into someone else's pocket. Sure, markets crash and some cities make renting smarter, but for the typical household, owning beats renting over 20 years.