The financial reasons for owning your own home are to build equity and take advantage of tax breaks that do not exist with other assets.  However, the greatest advantage is that owning a home is a terrific hedge against inflation.

Since the early 1900’s, the annual inflation rate in the U.S. has averaged 3.10%. As the cost of goods and services rises, so do the costs of buying a home.  Mortgage interest rates have recently risen slightly, but are still at record lows. If you purchase a home this spring, you will acquire a financial asset that promises to rise in value while you enjoy using it.

That means that while others pay rising rents and home prices increase year after year, your monthly payments become less expensive by comparison. This allows you the financial freedom to reinvest in your home or other worthy goals such as higher education and retirement.

A home can be your inflation hedge.  Once the pandemic is under control, the economy will improve to the point that the government needs to control inflation by raising borrowing rates to banks. When this happens, you can expect mortgage rates to rise, making the purchase of a home more expensive.