We have been planning on buying a "forever house" for the last 5 years and have been saving accordingly. Now that we are preapproved and starting to look at real estate, we are having some serious soul-searching discussions on why we are looking at buying, our goals, and how to achieve them. We are seriously considering not buying and renting instead, saving money, and reevaluating at a future date, perhaps when we can stop working all together. This is still a decision that is up in the air, but it does make me wonder: if we decide to keep renting, what should we do with the sizable amount of cash we have built up in a savings account that is earmarked for a down payment? Invest it? Invest some and keep some in cash or in a bond fund?