Expert, localized Los Angeles answers provided by Heather Roy

Ask Heather about: Mortgages, Finance, Taxes or Home Selling?
  

70e82d73-828b-ec58-e880-47ebd5ecf27c

  My husband and I both like our jobs and are planning on staying where we are for a while. However, nothing is definite. We might want to move in the future. We live in a college town and any decent rental property is going to cost us at least $750 (and that is really rare to find). It is also super hard to find nice houses that allow pets (we have two dogs). We want a nice house, but is it worth paying around $800 in rent when a mortgage would be equal or less. Keep in mind if a career or educational opportunity comes up in the next three years, we want to take advantage of it. Should we rent or buy?
 
  What you're asking me is really a personal decision.  The one main thing is that of course it's easier to keep dogs when you own your own home.  But if there were one really better way to go, you'd have found it for yourselves by now.
    Edith
Originally published on March 27, 2008
 
    Back to Summary