Right now I split my rent with longtime GF: I pay 940 per month for my half. I don't pay heat, cable, or electric.
However, if we were to buy a house around me in NJ all the closing costs and down payment would have to be paid by me alone, let's say 75K. I currently put away between 1500-2000 a month into index funds. If we bought a small house with a 30 yr mortgage for around 270K, the cost seems similar to what we pay in rent right now, around 1700. I'm factoring heat, taxes and some maintenance costs in that number as well but I'm not sure what public water, sewer and trash will cost yet. I would probably plan to live in the house for about 12 years.
It's the down payment and closing costs that make me hesitate. Does it sound worth it to take out 75K out of my index funds ( I have a total of 235K) to shell out about 7 years worth of my half of the rent for a down payment and closing?