<prompt> Human: As a young couple currently renting, we dont make quite enough money to afford the house of our dreams. So we are considering buying something way below what we could afford. The goal would be to use this as a stepping stone. Only stay in it for 5-8 years, and then move into a much more expensive permanent home that we will raise the family in.Im talking about buying a house that we could put 20 down on and pay off completely in under 10 years, without straining ourselves financially. Or alternatively get a 30 year mortgage and have a reduction of about 40 less than what we currently pay in rent.Is this a good idea? Is buying houses that are near the absolute bottom of the price range in the market a risky move? Is there a chance the house could significantly drop in value and Im stuck with something I dont like very much for longer than I planned on? Oh and Im talking about an old single or a twin. Not a condo.  <response>: My wife and I did this, and we ended up keeping the house even though we dont live in it. Now we keep it for sale by owner and rent it out. If the right offer comes along, well sell, but in the meantime weve got a nice little secondary income stream.My only word of warning would be to get it inspected and buy a house thats in good shape. Some houses are cheap because theyre outdated, others are cheap because there are significant problems. Be sure you know why your prospective house is such a bargain. 