Buying a House Is Not An Investment

One the better articles against thinking about a house as an investment.

It bears repeating: homes aren’t investments, they’re places to live. If you can buy a nice house for less than you’d otherwise pay in rent, then go ahead and buy — no matter what the market looks like, or where mortgage rates are. On the other hand, if you’re looking for an “investment”, stick to securities. You can sell those much more easily when you need some money, and they won’t drive you into possible bankruptcy and homelessness if they go down rather than up.

This is actually a really smart thought - you cannot easily sell or liquidate your house if you need the cash - as many "homeowners" are learning in this financial crisis. I've stopped thinking about the last 6-7 years in rent as money down the drain (that theoretically could have been equity in a home.) Truthfully, it hasn't been all that much and I have flexibility. Can't put a price on that.