Depending on your unique characteristics, lifestyle, and family choices there are a number of benefits of homeownership just as there can be benefits in renting. For me, there is one benefit of homeownership that stands above the rest.

Of course, the financial benefits of owning versus renting are fairly obvious.. Still, don't get me wrong, I constantly run the numbers on the value of owning from a financial standpoint… how much am I saving by not renting? How much money will I make on the sale if it appreciates at X%? Etc, etc, etc. Further, I certainly love the mortgage interest deduction I get on my taxes, and I enjoy having a community that I feel a part of.

On the flip side I can say that I was happy with the rental I had for a number of years when I was younger. Renting made sense at that juncture in my life while I was nearing marriage because I knew my future wife and I would want to have a fresh place to start our lives together. And I'm no dummy because I also knew that there was no way I could afford to live on Lake Washington if I were to buy the waterfront property!

There are a multitude of reasons why people buy or don't buy, and examining these reasons to find the best housing option is generally the first step we take when working with buyers. At the end of the day, for me, there is one benefit of ownership that I simply cannot put a price on…