On the fence about whether to renew your lease or start searching for a home of your very own? Deciding whether to rent or buy is a common dilemma among house hunters. Fortunately, you’re in a unique position to learn from the experiences of others.

Following are just a few of the reasons why many homebuyers wish they’d written their final rent checks a little sooner:

• Reduced cost. Depending on your circumstances, it may be cheaper to buy a home than to rent one. Landlords often have to charge a premium in order to make a profit.
• Reliable payments. Your landlord can decide to raise your rent, but if you take out a fixed-rate home loan, your principal and interest payments will remain the same each month. No more worrying about surprise rent increases!
• Building equity. Equity can be explained with a simple formula: Your home’s current value minus the amount you owe. And unlike paying rent, which only benefits your landlord, paying down your mortgage each month can help you build equity in your home. Equity can also increase if your home appreciates in value.
• No landlord woes. Perhaps your landlord pops in more regularly than you would like. Or maybe he or she doesn’t make necessary home repairs in a timely manner. Regardless of your frustrations, you won’t have to contend with—or rely on—a second party to manage maintenance on your own home.
• Showcasing your style. Rental homes usually come with a lot of restrictions. For example, you probably won’t have the right to change the color of the walls or replace outdated fixtures and flooring. And why would you want to spend your hard-earned money improving someone else’s home anyway? Owning a home typically means having the freedom to decorate however you wish without having to seek prior approval from others.

Ready to begin your house hunt? Visit RichmondAmerican.com today!