Renting forever instead of buying a home is actually the smarter financial move for most people in expensive cities. When I compared my rent of $2,200 to a mortgage on a similar unit here, the mortgage payment with taxes and insurance came to $3,100. Sure, homeownership builds equity, but that extra $900 a month could be invested in index funds that historically return 7-10% annually. We also ignore the hidden costs like maintenance, property taxes that rise yearly, and the complete lack of mobility when a better job offer appears across the country. I've watched too many friends stretch into a fixer-upper only to be house poor and stressed, so why is owning still considered the ultimate goal when the math often doesn't support it?