The Rent vs. Buying Media Blitz

Carla.. ignore the media on this one. Unless the gov't has 100% control over the media, it's just another story to get people to listem to read, etc, etc. Unless each owner of the paper or radio station, or TV station wants this happen, it's just news.. news with no purpose. To me, there are positives and negatives for either renting or buying. I am finishing up my part 3 tomorrow on a series called - "Renting vs buying a home". I believe in giving the facts on both sides. The media hardly ever does this... it's just news to them, right or wrong. What sells the most ... ps... and Fred above me, comment #23, makes a very good point. I just didn't want my comment to be a mini post... ;o)  thanks

Cant believe anything the media spouts. They are in the entertainment business more and more over the last 30 years or so. They just want a topic that can inflame the masses - forget the consequences.

In this case it's paper vs online. They are just trying to sell papers and magazines with provocative tripe. 

HI Carla -- So true.  Psychology of buyers who are on the fence is always backwards from what it should be during great times to buy like this.  But when the prices start going up, then people start jumping on board even more, so counter-intuitive, just like the stock market.

Carla, renting FITS where it does fit, and not always preferable over buying, but SOMETIMES.... We have the camp too that says buying ALWAYS is the right thing to do, not true...

Around here - a properly priced house or condo is your best bet.  The rent/own ratio is tilted towards "own" - IF you can get the loan.  The buyers are way too unmotivated and lacksidasical.  I have to write a post about this.  Buyer's need to get off the fence before the low rates disappear.

I am still laughing at the last line!  Priceless!

You gotta live somewhere.....if you can live for free....well then you are above this post. If you have to pay your dues.....then, take a second look to see where you want to be....in 20 years. Sitting on a piggy bank or..?

Best Carla and thank you

Like every other instituation, FOLLOW THE MONEY AND YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THE NEWS.

I missed this feature.  I am glad, I checked your blog.  I couldn't agree more.

Real estate is local. Local media does a better job covering real estate than national media because it's local. Unfortunately there is not enough money in most markets for local reporting anymore. In a free country anyone can buy a printing press or a laptop.

Currently in my market we have tons of buyers who are buying and tons of renters who are renting. I serve all their real estate needs. We need more inventory!

LOL - I just did my very first rent vs. buy post a couple of days ago. I can't remember, but I'm pretty sure I leaned towards buying.

Carla, I read an interesting comparison (don't remember where though): when you shop at a supermarket, and see something marked down, you often buy it even if you don't really need it right now, or don't need it at all. But when it's a HOUSE marked down (plus low interest rates), you think something's wrong with it, and want to "wait it out". Then when prices go up, everybody suddenly wants to buy property...

Renting as an option will always exist, there always will be someone who'd prefer to rent - for a while, or forever, but it doesn't mean all of us should sell our properties and start renting.  

Carla--I thought it was interesting to read the letters to the editor in Time Magazine in response to that article.  Readers overwhelmingly supported buying a home over renting for reasons such as the yard for their kids, the memories, who will own the homes if not we Americans? and other reasons that I am not immediately remembering.  I think the public is on the same page we are on this!!

Carla ~ Ahhhhh a media frenzie.  Whe will the average Joe catch on to their games?!

Hi Carla, below is actually the comment I made elsewhere..Sorry, guess I should be more aware of original post and re-blogs..I'm still new. I really liked your post, found it interesting, I will be bookmarking.

Interested post. Renting is my primary source of business, my website is devoted 100% to tenants/landlords. I happen to prefer tenants/landlord transaction over others. Of course I will always need those investor to keep buying so they can give me the listings as a rental;-). Funny, I hear you on Interesting, I've never heard peep one from "the MEDIA" about "renting" . . . until only recently. I never heard from them until recently, now I've actually been quoted a few times in the Palm Beach Post and the local news station actually came to my home for an interview, for such issues as craigslist scams, renting vs. buying and so forth. I think they (media) sees the rental market growing and is jumping on the bandwagon but again just my thoughts...

Carla, great post, and I agree with many of the comments here.  I do think there is a political motivation to the general news media.  NY Times and WSJ both published articles in same time about the case against homeownership.  IMO for agents, it looks to me as there has always been the rent vs. buy debate.  The pendulum has now swung to the rent side.  Your last line aptly sums it up -- The Media, a fickle-bitch goddess.