Is Buying A Home Always A Good Investment?

A reader asks:  “Is buying a house a good investment? If I buy a house my money will just sleep and it does not make any more money, compared to investing it in business. What do you think”

I meet people who have the same thinking as the reader, and they have almost similar question. From a realtor’s point of view, however, I could say that buying a home is really a good investment. Actually, we buy a house because we intend to live in it for a long time or, to some, for a lifetime. But a house is also a good investment for its own sake. I’ll enumerate here the reasons why, to help you decide for yourself:

1. Your house appreciate its value over time, so it is anti-inflation. Real estate property, like a house and lot, increase in value, for example, every year. That represents savings for you.

2. You can buy your house with little investment using leverage funds, like borrowing money through a mortgage, and it adds up to your assets. Because of your house (actually real estate since you also own the lot where your house stands) appreciates its value, your investment will increase and you earn passive income as a result.

3. Savings. Owning your own home is a way to save money, e.g. compared when you are just renting the property.

4. Peace of Mind And Status. Since you own a house, you will have peace of mind because no matter what happens, no landlord will evict you out. Furthermore, our society as a whole considers owning a home as a status symbol, as differentiated from being a renter. Homeowners see their homes as proof of success and stability, a reward for their hardwork.

There are many other reasons why buying a home is a good investment, but to me the foregoing four are enough to convince me that it is.