Oh Give Me A Home

My youngest son just bought his first house.  Now all three of my children are homeowners.  I guess I shouldn't really say children, they are all adults now.  Perhaps offspring is a better word.  Or spawn.  Anyway, I am proud of all of them.  They have worked hard to become homeowners.  It's not easy in this economy when you are young.  However I am glad it's them and not me.

I bought a house once.  It was a nightmare for reasons long enough to write a book, and I may one day.  But for now I will list the reasons I will never again be a homeowner.

1. Roofs that need replacing
2. Windows that need replacing
3. Taxes
4. Interest
5. Furnaces that break down
6.  Hydro bills and water bills that will put you in the poor house
7. Plumbing updates
8. Flooded basements
9. Weekends spent on home and lawn maintenance
10. House sitters.


When I moved in to my first apartment at age 42, I was anxious.   What if I get mugged in the elevator, or the underground parking lot?  What if I have noisy neighbours? What if my clothes get stolen from the laundry room.  But I have lived in 7 apartments in the last 14 years, and I have NEVER been mugged and except for an incident last summer with the guy across the street, I have NEVER had trouble with neighbours or had my laundry stolen.

Here are the reasons I like renting.

1.  Lock the door and go.
2. Everything that goes wrong is the superintendent's problem.
3.  If I want to move, as I frequently do, I just give two months notice.  No waiting for a house to sell, no having to keep my place clean for endless showings.

So what if I am throwing my money away on rent.   Homeowners are throwing money away on interest payments.  By the time they pay off their mortgages they need a new roof or something similarly budget busting.

I am a happy renter.