<prompt> Human: Hi PF!I am trying to figure out if in my current position I would be better off buying a small condohome versus getting an apartment.Right now I am an electrical apprentice, 24 years old, taking home about 2500 a month, with raises every six months until I top out in 3 years at 100,000 - this is guaranteed, not speculation. Currently living at home which is becoming painstaking with the following for bills: 200 - room and board 425 - car payment and insurance 200 - gasparking 200 - groceries and takeout 80 - phoneSpotifyNetflixgym 200 - funtravelentertainmentclothing 1300 a month in bills, roughlyStudio apartments run about 900 a month, and two bedrooms start at about 1200 and I do have a roommate lined up. So between 700-1000 a month with utilities there.Savings - 25,000 .. Debt - 0Lower end houses and condos in my area that are still reasonably close to work start at around 120,000, which to me seems about exactly what I would be able to afford right now as long as I am renting out the second bedroom.I will be staying in this area for the foreseeable future, only changes would be most likely upgrading to something nicer when the time comes.Hopefully this isnt too jumbled, but I am just trying to get opinions on whether I am in a good position to get a condosmall house rather than rent, when I WANT to get out of my house, but am not in a spot where I have to get out NOW.Assistant: Why not rent for a while until you can buy what you want? That may not be a small condo.Human: I do not have ANY interest in a house larger than even 1200ft for a while, by while I mean 10ish years. I dont want to rent until then though. Id rather live in a small space and pay it off before I upgrade then sell it or have it as a rental property.Assistant: You lose more money buying and selling a house than you might be considering. Condo fees are just money thrown away, too, as is interest and taxes. What if you get married in five years?Human: Obviously its all going to come down to the numbers, but I highly doubt renting for 5 years would work out better than buying and paying off a condo or small house in that time. My current long term girlfriend and I both have no plans for needing a bigger space than a condo or small house would provide, so marriage wouldnt effect anything.  <response>: Lol...You might be surprised. On both fronts.Youd have typical 10k closing selling costs on a 120k house. Thats comparable to your equity growth in five years from your payments. 