[originaltext] It’s not always easy to tell what’s best to do—renting or buy

It’s not always easy to tell what’s best to do—renting or buying a home. We tend to assume that buying is always better, and the American Dream is, at least historically, built on that all-important goal of owning your own home.
    Yet if the housing crash and recession of the last several years have taught us anything, it’s that owning a home isn’t always all that it’s admired to be, and renting can protect you against some of the negative things about the commitment of home ownership.
    With all of that in mind, here are some guidelines to consider whether renting or buying is best for you:
    Look at the time that you’re planning on spending in one place. Most experts advise that if you want to buy, you need to plan to be in the home at least five years, and that time period might be longer depending on market conditions. Think about how committed you are to being in a particular neighborhood, town or state, and use this as your first guide to whether you should buy a home there or not.
    Second, buying a home, especially in today’s market, can require a significant down-payment, often 20 percent or more of the purchase prices. You need to have this amount saved up and be ready to put down on the house. If you’d rather have that cash on hand for emergencies, college money, vacations or other uses, you might want to think twice about buying a house at this point.
    Third, unlike renting, home ownership is an investment. You own the home, and if it goes up in value, your investment grows. Homes don’t always appreciate in value, however, and sometimes, as recent years have shown, they can depreciate significantly, leaving homeowners unable to make payments, or putting them heavily in debt. When evaluating the investment potential of home ownership, therefore, you must take into account the home you’re thinking of buying, the market, and the price you’re getting the home for. Consider meeting a financial adviser to go over the figures and determine whether buying a house is a good investment for you or not.
Choosing whether to rent or buy is one of the most important decisions in your life, so make sure to take time and consider all factors before making it.
23. What can we learn from the housing crash and recession of the last several years?
24. What is the first guide to decide whether to buy or rent a home?
25. What does the speaker suggest to evaluate the investment potential of home ownership?