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Home prices around the country have fallen into a double dip. After declining around 30 percent from their peak, they started to rise a bit last summer with the help of a federal tax credit.
But with that stimulus gone, prices are now sliding again to new lows. And while some pundits say a lease makes more sense than a mortgage, other economists insist it's a great time to buy.
'American Dream' Under Fire
Since the housing bubble burst, there's been some dramatic questioning of homeownership. A Time magazine cover declared that owning a home may no longer make economic sense. And politicians are under fire for over-promoting homeownership.
It's enough to make any prospective homeowner hide under their bed in their rented apartment. But many economists, like Mark Zandi with Moody's Analytics, say these concerns are overblown.
"Everyone's re-evaluating more carefully whether they should own a home or not," Zandi says. "But for the vast majority of Americans homeownership is still the right thing."
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Time to Rent or Buy? Depends Where You Live
This chart shows the percentage difference between the average monthly rent and mortgage payment for a median-priced, single-family home in communities across America. For example, in San Jose, Calif., the monthly mortgage payment averages $2,600, while rent is about $1,000 less. That's about 60 percent cheaper. But in Cleveland, it's the opposite. The average rent is about $750 per month, while the cost of buying is $420, or about 44 percent less.
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