I read this post from Bailie and it got me thinking. Much like Bailie and Mr. H realized, P and I don’t hold the same goals and aspirations that are more commonly held by our peers. Of course many of our differences lie in the fact that we are not choosing to pursue having children, which I covered here and here. I know we would have a different lifestyle, goals, and aspirations, if kids were part of our future plans, but since they are not, we are free to live however we choose, and spend our money on different aspirations.
I don’t see us owning a house anytime soon. The only scenario where I would strongly consider it, would be if we decided to open our own local based business, than it would make sense. I like the flexibility of renting, of not being tied down with the mortgage, taxes, house maintenance and yard upkeep. If we want a change of scenery, we wait a year and pick a new place, we can try new neighborhoods or even new cities. If a new opportunity comes along it is much easier to say yes to moving when you can just pack and go without having to deal with the loose ends a house creates. Sure, I sometimes dream of being able to craft a house exactly to my liking, painting things crazy colors and customizing each kitchen cabinet, but my gypsy soul pulls holder. The world seems too big to settle in one spot for too long.
I would rather…
Have culture at my doorstep than a bonus room
Good public transportation than a double garage
Too many restaurants to choose from than a granite countertop
A view of the city than window treatments
Fine dining than extra square-feet
Just to be clear, I had already written the little “I would rather” part before reading Bailie’s post, so it was really funny when I read her post. Also, in case anyone points it out…I do currently have granite countertops, but I might not in the future and I’m ok with that.
It’s Wednesday, so we are linking-up with Kathy. Since we are confessing, I have one more: Feedly being down totally got me out of my reading routine. I had to just hit read and start fresh, but I’m back 🙂
I am super late to this post but it struck me because we don’t have kids either and we don’t plan to. We have a lot of luxuries that we normally wouldn’t and we can help others in areas where we normally wouldn’t be able to. I typically donate to a variety of causes and it makes me feel really good to do so and I love being able to do what I want when I want. Plus, I have the benefit of hanging out with everyone else’s babies and kids so we get the best of both worlds!
i love the flexibility of renting and i think each to their own is the most important thing in life 🙂
Love this list! I think I’d choose a lot of these myself 🙂
owning a home doesn’t mean you are tied down! 🙂 i held a bit of resentment towards jacob before bc i felt like i would be trapped in one city when i wanted to be a free bird…. but his family is in real estate and knew that it could be a good investment. we got a house in an area people like to rent, so we’re enjoying renting and living in different cities every year and jacob doesn’t feel like the money is being wasted.
what city would you want to move to?
I love this!! I can agree with everything you’ve said. I am very much a minimalist, and don’t need much in this world to be happy!
“I would rather… Have culture at my doorstep than a bonus room”… I really like how you phrased that! Also, confession wise, I think it’s totally normal to click the “mark as read” button or whatever the equivalent of it is in Feedly on a semi-regular basis. When I was in Central America and travelling around every few days it just wasn’t possible (nor did I want to) keep up w/ all my blogs!
Owning a home is not for everyone. It certainly does depend on your goals and your desires. For people who like to travel and who move around a lot, it may not be affordable or sensible to own. I certainly struggled with this idea, but in the end, we did get tired of paying so much money for rent in San Diego and rent costs about the same amount as a mortgage here, so we figured that we might as well get something out of it. Since the market had crashed, homes were more affordable, and we were able to get a small modest house for a good price in a sleepy beach town that would have otherwise been unaffordable in a normal market. We’re not sure if we are going to stay in this exact house forever, but with the desirable location, we feel it’s a good investment and we will be able to sell it if we have to move or want a different house. Even though I do like to get out and do a lot of things, the other part of me does like coming home to my own place. And I have 3 dogs, one of which is a pitbull. They are like my children, and a lot of apartments don’t allow pitties.
I once read an article which argued for renting vice owning. The man was a single professional. It was very well written. I guess what I’m saying is that renting seems to make a lot of sense for single people and couples who don’t have children (without pitties) -Jess L
If we were living anywhere else I’d love the flexibility of renting. But in London most rental costs are a bazillion times higher than your mortgage payment so the dream is to own really. In the long run it would save us so much money that we’d have more money to do things we want like travel. The trouble is we don’t have the money necessary for a down payment. Like most people in London. The market is so ridiculous that it’s predicted that no one but the uber-wealthy will be able to own soon!
I love the “culture at my doorstep” answer! I could NOT agree more! 🙂
I appreciate this! I think there’s a lot of pressure to get a house or too soon, but you’re right — there are so many perks to renting. I do think one day I want a house, but I want to buy it in a community where I’ve already established a connection and a link to it. But I think I will always want to travel, too! I totally get this post for sure. 🙂
My kids love to travel, but my budget doesn’t like taking them! The universe is cruel: before we had kids, my hubs and I were too poor to travel extensively. Now that we have the means, we have a shitload of kids! Haha
And I wish I had waited to buy a house until I could afford the house I really wanted. Instead, I bought a house I like, but wasn’t in love with. Now I have the hassle of trying to rent out this one or sell it in order to move into the home I love. It’s a hassle.
Sometimes I wonder what life would be like being less tied down: we own a house with acreage and a whole menagerie on top of it! It requires some planning to get away, but I do love having it all.
The restaurants though are something I can totally get on board with, I’d rather eat out than in any day!
I would rather be running my own small business designing and creating things than being stuck in an office answering to someone else all day. Joey and I are the same in that we love to travel, to wander around and go wherever we want. With kids it is a lot harder to do, but luckily they’ve inherited our wanderlust too.
Me too!!! That is great you are making your kids travelers too!
I’m not in a rush to buy a home either. As long as WHEREVER we’re at is nice, that’s all I really care about right now. There are pros and cons for each side I guess!
I suffer (or not) from Wanderlust, but my husband is the exact opposite. It’s quite a challenge sometimes. I dream the big dreams of picking up and moving on a whim, but in doing so I’d be leaving my husband behind. It’s all about compromise I suppose.
I’m a homebody. While I like to travel and do, my home is really important to me so getting granite in the kitchen after laminate was freaking awesome. hahaha
I’m with you on all those rathers! Watching shows like House Hunters drive me crazy because even though it’s different people, the episodes can feel like repeats because everyone wants the same things. It’s refreshing when people want something different for a change!
I’m a new homeowner and I miss a lot of the things you mention about renting – the freedom to go somewhere else if a change of scenery is needed, someone else to worry about the upkeep… the one thing I don’t miss is having to pack, move, and unpack so much!
We have been renting for a while and I thought about buying a house but in the past I have always wanted to move a few years after being in a place. I cant do that with a 30 year mortgage so renting it is.
I love the flexibility of renting. And being able to call the maintenance guy to come fix something instead of having to fish out the pipe wrench and crawl under the sink. And being able to move if the place isn’t working out or if – like our first place in New York – there’s a really loud obnoxious family living upstairs with kids who bang on their piano at 11 o’clock at night – which is the primary reason we moved to our second place in New York. There are so many perks to being flexible.
Maybe I’m just in the I-wish-I-were-renting-again because I’m still sore from our most recent projects. There are more to come, but granite countertops are not on the list. The damn things are way too hard to maintain.
SO many good points. I love renting for that same reason! It’s great to be able to say “ehhh I don’t feel like living here anymore….LET’S MOVE!” Experiencing new things and places is definitely the way to live. 🙂
We tried the traditional path of buying a house and it sucked for us. The upkeep on a house is never ending and people don’t always factor that cost in. I would have to find a place in the world where I wanted to spend the rest of my life in before buying property again.
I’m very much like you when it comes to owning a home. It sounds like a great idea but I actually love being able to pick up and move when I’m tired of a place. It’s just so fitting. Yes, I’m probably bleeding money but I’m also not putting money into appliances, repairs, and maintenance so I like where I am right now.
Look at you linking up in Kathy’s #1 spot! You go getter you. On anohter note, I’m going to need you to talk to D. I’d love to lose the garage, yard, pool etc. in lieu of a one bedroom condo on the beach!
Look at you making it to Kathy’s #1 spot today! On another note, I’m going to need you to talk to D about his need for a garage, pool, yard, and 3 bedrooms for 2 people. I want my one bedroom condo on the beach dang it!
While I may not have the same “rather” choices to you, I totally respect your choices 🙂 As for the granite tops or restaurants – I definitely want both 😉
So glad to inspire you and your list just proves that one day we have to meet up for drinks!
I know where you’re coming from! For now, I would much rather be able to pick up and go than be tied down to a house. I think that will change for us one day, but I appreciate it while I have it!
Can’t I have the good restaurants AND the granite countertop? I am with you on the rest but I just really want a decent kitchen someday soon.
I’m on the fence with that one. On the one hand, I like knowing that I can pick up & go somewhere new if I want at pretty much any time. But I also hate that I know I’m throwing money away by renting…and I want a space that I can make completely my own…in the middle of nowhere.
I feel you. On the one hand I’m so glad that I don’t have to deal with property tax, maintenance bills when something big breaks, being able to just up and leave pretty much whenever, but traveling also makes me appreciate having a “home” to come back to. Since I’m a 9-5 worker and a part-time traveler, I do wonder if one day my gypsy soul will settle enough to want a small house and big lands out in the country where I can gaze at mountains from my kitchen window!
I can definitely see where you are coming from – it’s nice not to be tied down! We don’t see ourselves ever leaving our hometown, but I would love to travel one day!
If Andrew hadn’t bought the house when he was so young, I think I would have wanted to be the same way. It really does limit what you can do and where you can go! Now that I’m used to it, though. some granite would be nice…
I am gasping at you ‘I would rather’ list! Although, Id choose the restaurants over the granite, because I dont like to cook.
i would rather be on a beach sipping a pina colada than here at work. boo. confession: when feedly went down, i was kinda relieved because i really had no way of reading people’s blogs and the fact that i’m SO busy at work these days … i felt this immense pressure lifted from my shoulders!