Owning a home is still the best long-term investment for most middle-class families, despite what the rent-is-cheaper calculators say. I've run the numbers on my own place against the stock market, and after accounting for leverage and tax breaks, the house won by a solid margin over fifteen years. Sure, maintenance costs eat into returns, but renting also means you're at the mercy of annual rent hikes that outpace wage growth. Even with high interest rates today, buying beats renting if you plan to stay put for seven years or more.