When I owned my condo, I felt pride in owning my own place. Now, back in an apartment, I care much less about the condition of my residence. I preferred making mortgage payments to rent payments. I think it’s ridiculous that the government gives homeowners such a substantial tax write-off, but when I owned my condo, I did enjoy taking it.

And, in the back of my mind, I’m always plotting my next move. (The flip side of that mindset is that it helps me save; there’s no bigger deterrent to buying a big screen TV than thinking about having to move it.)

But if my wife and I owned our home right now, we’d be worse off. I am self-employed and can work from anywhere as long as there is a computer, an Internet connection, and espresso. My wife is looking for a new job. Because we aren’t attached to any property–especially in what’s a difficult market for sellers–she has the freedom to take the job that interests her the most, regardless of whether it’s here in DC. We have the freedom to go anywhere. So, as you put it, it depends on our personal circumstances.

Now, if in 10 years we have kids and are looking for a stable environment in which to raise them, buying a house seems like a no brainer.