Is it really worth it to buy verses rent.

Dont take my word for it. Take the Federal Reserves. Its Survey of Consumer Finances has consistently found a huge gap between the wealth piled up by homeowners and that accumulated by renters.

Source: VIP Forum, Federal Reserve Board

Home ownership builds wealth in two ways: through the forced savings of paying down a mortgage, and through appreciation -- the rise in the homes value over time.

The earlier you get in the game, the quicker you can get that appreciation working for you. The longer you wait well, the consequences can be very stiff.

Dont second guess a life time opportunity because you think the economy is poor or you want to wait till market cycle to surge again.  You cant turn back the clock on time you have lost.