It's all about you and your interests. House or not has nothing to do with being single. A house ties you closer to the land if you like that. A house returns value as equity if you maintain it. It does not limit your social life. My folks generation all had suburban houses and partied like crazy. My present family prefers more solitude so were heading for a home in a rural area. Playing in the dirt is a joy for me so a house was the best option. It is what you make of it.
I bought one when I was single. My goals were to finish my Dr. and live the single life for 5 years before looking to settle down. Met my wife after that 5yrs and sold the house for around 70k profit after owning it for 3 years. So it was an investment for me.
I would. I’d renovate one room into a golf simulator. Push the ceiling up to 15-20 feet. Widen the room. And build a beautiful simulator. Make some space for a fridge and heck why not a kitchen too. Just sit there 16 hours a day eating, drinking, and golfing. Can’t beat that life.
Weird post. Even if your judgment is as bad as your English, surely you must have heard of women mds, dentists, lawyers, accountants, scientists, etc. even if they run a mile from you? Where do you live? The State penitentiary? Why the heck would any woman with a high earning job go near a guy that threatens violence over the internet?
I'm a woman by the way. What is it about all these guys scared of living in a house on their own? I weigh 112 pounds, and you sure as heck don't scare me with your piddly trash talking.
I didn't threaten any violence. At all. I simply implicitly requested accountability on your part for your words and false assumptions. I've dated women from all professions including a doctor, lawyers, millionaire women. When you're a high value man, you can have your choice. But another person's relationships shouldn't concern you, should they? Nosy people are so annoying and it's obvious they're so nosy because their lives are BORING as hell.
your life is boring as hell man. All you do is post on letsrun and you're always here. Stfu no one has any respect for you.
Several on this thread have highlighted the immense amount of work to maintain and improve a house. Running 12 miles on a Saturday is also a lot of work, as are hill workouts, track workouts, etc. I would not suggest buying a house if you do not see the value in doing some regular maintenance & occasional improvements. From my perspective, it is rewarding and even therapeutic - just as running is. And, while you are single is, in some ways, the best time to buy: you can buy a small house in a nicer neighborhood and such investments usually appreciate much better than larger homes in mediocre neighborhoods. Once you have a family, that is often what you need to settle for in order to have enough space for the family. Pluses and minuses either way, though.
I'm a 38 year old guy with a family but when I was younger and renting, I lived in a very cool area, met my wife, had loads of friends within walking distance. My rent was super high, but i don't think id trade it for anything. I could have bought in the suburbs, and likely I'd be a lot better off financially, but I think there was enormous upside of renting when I was young and single.
That being said, right now mortgage rates are an advantage to anyone who can put down a large down payment, and/or 15 year mortgage. Most inventory is moving a lot slower and you have your pick more so than 2 years ago. If you can buy a 2 bed condo in a hip area and rent the other room out, that would be ideal route. I would not recommend buying a house in a suburban or remote area.
It's also very likely when you settle down, that your partner will want to live elsewhere.
Agree with people who said house upkeep is a freaking nightmare. You spend a small fortune and you are working constantly, or you spend a large fortune to have people do everything for you, and it's still a fair amount of work coordinating them all.
That said, it really depends on a lot of circumstances. What kind of house? Where? What kind of lifestyle are you looking for?
I would not want to live in a McMansion subdivision as a single person, but a smaller house in a denser neighborhood doesn't necessarily entail a radical change in lifestyle from city apartment living. It's nice to have a guest room, an office, a treadmill in the basement, and a private patio for entertaining. If you're just a little ways out from the densest part of town, you probably have better running options. You're not so far out that people from downtown won't come to your place, but suburban friends won't be scared off either. The problem is finding a house like that. In a decent neighborhood, they're often sold as teardowns. In a bad neighborhood, well....
Townhouses are a great intermediate option, especially if the HOA handles most of the exterior.
"Taredowns" given your tolerance for living if a really rundown house, can be a great investment. You actually don't have to do too much maitenance (beyond what is absolutely necessary in terms of cheap patchwork). You basically let the house go, live in it for 3-5 years, until you can't tolerate it anymore, and then sell it as a real taredown that actually gets torn down. The property appreciates because the only value is in the land and you get free rent minus expenses. But you really have to have a high tolerance for living in a cruddy house with problems if you go this route.
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Buying a house while you’re single could attract more choices of women to marry.
Once I became a homeowner as a single dude, it helped my dating prospects tremendously. Chicks dig a guy who seemingly has their stuff together. Just be sure your house looks like a place they’d actually want to live in (not a frat house/bachelor pad)
In addition to having something that will appreciate over time there is also the ability to deduct the mortgage when doing your taxes each year.
Only if you itemize on your return. Most people get a bigger amount when taking standard deduction. You also don’t deduct the full mortgage payment amount, just a portion of it.
Bought my house in my 20s while single. I didn't want to keep throwing money into renting. Never felt lonely and it is the house I still live in with my family.
I bought it when I made 1/6 what I do now and before I had a second income. The payment is very low and will be paid off before im 50.