<prompt> Human: After reading several posts from people about the values and drawbacks of owning a home, Ive seen a lot of good comments and things to consider; however, the thing to remember is that your situation is almost definitely unique in some way.For example, I was raised in a family full of tradesmen, so Im a very handy person. Anything I cant fix or renovate, someone in my family can. I would have spent thousands on unexpected problemsrepairs this year which would have put huge stress on my finances. I had the ability to come into owning a home with a little less money on hand because I knew that this would be the case. For many people, having a good amount of money on hand for unexpected repairs is a MUST.Every person has distinct advantages and disadvantages to consider depending on their unique situation, and although there may be some good advice out there to consider, its just that - a consideration. No amount of good advice will be perfect for everyone. Do your own research, think for yourself, and make the decision that best for you.  <response>: I am going to 2nd OP here. Being handy is just one of many ways to make home ownership affordable. I am not handy at all, but I purchased a 67k short-sale 5 years ago. The 412month mortgage was 438 less than the 850month apartment rent I was paying. That 5256 I am saving a year has more than paid for the repairs the house needed. My sister did something similar when the military moved her to a big city and her mortgage was 800mo less than the average rent for the size house she needed. The point is that affordable home ownership is not a misnomer as many on this sub would lead you to believe. Do the math, dont over-extend, and dont be afraid to look for deals. If you can barely afford it then you cannot afford it, period. 