It seems that everywhere we turn these days, someone is telling us what a bad idea it is to purchase a home. Doom and gloom prevail in the headlines, and homeowners seem paralyzed with fear regarding their largest investment, while first-time would-be homeowners stall out in the process, terrified of the potential "mistake" they may be making.
Let me tell you why I still believe that
Home Is Where the Heart Is, and why you are wise to become a
homewowner.
- Think about what HOME means to you. For most of us, it means security, peace, and protection. We take pride in home ownership. We build a sense of community there with our neighbors. We build a sense of identity there for our children. It is the place where we return to regroup, relax, and refresh. In every sense, it is our own.
- Think about what home ownership means in a cultural sense. As Americans, we have more individual property ownership than the vast majority of the world. It is a primary reason that we, as U. S. citizens, share such an impressive amount of wealth in comparison to other countries. And let us not forget, the right to own property is one of our fundamental Constitutional freedoms.
- Think about this: most economists agree that in terms of a long-term investment, home ownership is still a smart investment which they would recommend.
- Think about who is delivering your news and where it comes from. The last article I read, published in our local newspaper, quoted one "expert" as saying that despite the fact that interest rates are low, despite the fact that the housing affordability index has never been higher, and despite the fact that many economists are advising that now is a great time to buy, the "expert" actually thought it a bad time to buy a house, and even advised against buying for the next five years. Upon a simple google search, I discovered that the "expert" quoted was a financial institution that sold mutual funds. Clearly it would be in the "expert's" best interest (and profit) for homeowners to invest their money with the investor's product. Clearly the "expert" was biased. And just as clearly, the newspaper editorial staff failed in its job to report factual information to the public objectively.
Remember what home ownership means and feels like. Remember that it is a proud part of our heritage. Remember that it is the stepping stone to personal wealth.
by Tami DeLand
