<prompt> Human: Okay, so I purchased my home for 160k back before the housing bubble burst... and were talking by only a few months to half a year. Fast forward to today and Ive lost 100k on its value. Essentially from the get go, Ive had no equity in the homes. I did refi about three years back to 4, which helped. So, my monthly mortgage is around 1k a month. I make a decent living and paying that mortgage isnt hard for me. Im not struggling by any means, but I hate the fact that my home is no longer an investmentasset and Im paying money and not building any equity... I might as well be renting. I live in a HUGE city and I have to drive through all the worst traffic spots in town. I drive, round trip, 70 miles a day and I average around two and a half hours a day for my commute. I also live in a side of town... that nothing really happens. All the great places in my city is on the opposite side of town. So why did I buy where I did? Well, it was sky rocketing in value at the time and figured I could flip it in five years. Now Im stuck here. Anyways, so I dont know what my options are to get out of it, or at least make it bearable. A lot of people tell me to short sell. I have a 760 credit rating and I really dont want to take the hit. A lot of the government programs are for people in foreclosure or who financed through government loan programs Freddie Mac, Fanny Mae. I could potentially rent it out for at least some of the cost of the mortgage, but I doubt I can rent this home for 1k a month. So, anyways, Im not sure of what options are available to me.  <response>: Morale of the story: dont ever buy a house again because you think it is a nice investment. Buy a house because you want to live there. For now, I would keep the house and live in it. If you absolutely hate living there, look at options to get a renter and to rent or buy another place where you actually want to live. But if you cant get a renter to at least pay you the mortgage, youd be stuck. 