<prompt> Human: So heres my situation. I will be graduating in May with a bachelors degree in Computer Science and starting a job on June 1 with an annual salary of 56k. I have about 10k in my bank account right now. My job is in the same city as my parents and there house is only about 15 minutes away from my job. What I need help deciding is if and when I should buy, rent, or save.My parents would be willing to let me live with them for a while, and have even suggested it. Even though I get along with them, as a 22-year-old guy with money, this isnt something Id want to do for very long, but is something I could do for a few months while I save up. Right now I am considering buying a town home in the range of 150k-200k, which my parents might be willing to help me make the 20 down payment on. Im also considering renting an apartment in the range of 800-1200month. I have seen many people on here that seem to be opposed to buying a home as a young adult because you lose flexibility and it requires a lot of start up costs. But the job I will have should be stable, and there are plenty of similar jobs in the area, so I dont plan on moving anytime soon. I know that interest rates and home rates are low right now, so I dont want to wait and see them rise before I buy. I also dont want to rent for several years and essentially throw money down the drain that I will never get back as opposed to buying where I can resell. I would also likely buy a 2 bedroom house, but only rent a 1 bedroom apartment, and Id really like to have an extra bedroom. I could even rent it out to someone somewhere down the line, but I wont count on that. I like the idea of owning something and making an investment that will pay off if I stay there, but at the same time, I would be basically broke if I bought a town home immediately and it is riskier than renting. So the pros and cons of each that I can see:Living with Parentspros Save lots of moneycons Less independence Living with parents...Rentingpros Less startup costs More flexibility to move Cheaper in generalcons Only 1 bedroom No investment - lots of wasted money No tax cutsBuying a Town Homepros Investment that could pay off down the line 2 bedrooms - one could be rented Larger than an apartment - room to grow into if I get married and have kidscons Much less flexibility in moving Much larger start up cost Maintenanceupkeep costsIll add that Im single and have a car that is paid off, so that takes some of my living expenses down.So I need help deciding 1 how long I should live with my parents and save, 2 if I rent, how long I should rent 6 months? 1 year? 3 years? I feel like the longer I rent the more money I throw away, 3 when I should consider buying, if not immediately, and 4 what price range I could comfortably afford when buying a home and renting an apartment. Thanks!  <response>: Dont buy a house on the possibility that it might be a good investment or you might want the space later. Buy a house because you think it would serve your needs for the near future at least 5 years. This is especially true when youre just starting out after college, in case you decide you need to change tracks at your new job.Personally, I dont like the idea of getting your parents to assist you with a down payment, I would rather do that on my own. Again personally, I wouldnt want to live with my parents after graduating college for any significant stretch of time. Realize that you are a significantly different person than you were when you moved away to college, and while it may have worked over a summer, it may not work long term. Those situations can work, but it depends heavily on the relationship with your parents and these financial issues tend to stress that kind of relationship.I think what you should do is find as inexpensive a place as you can that you deem acceptable and rent for a while. You say that rent is between 800-1200month, but that seems a little high to me, particularly if youre willing to have roommates. If you decide you enjoy your job in a year or two, have job security, and have put some money away for a down payment you can revisit buying a house. But theres no need to rush something like this. There will still be plenty of time to buy a house when youre 25 and if it turns out you need to move you wont face a financial loss from buying a house. 