Check your calculations for an unexpected event that lowers the value of real estate. This has happened before:) What would you do if the value of your property lowers by 5-10 percent? If you are O.K. with that, then buy. In my opinion, the intangibles of owning vs. renting are worth something, but do not assume that real estate always appreciates. Over the long term, it probably will appreciate. However, in any given year, there can always be an event that will lower real estate prices. In my 30 years of buying real estate, there has been one of these "events" every 5-10 years. The last one was in 2007-2008, so perhaps we will have another one soon?