I'm off to sign a six month lease today.
Tenants are a young couple, a bit self absorbed and stupid, who got married in the place and are planning to buy a new home.
I'm willing to take the financial hit for their convenience.

I offered my limited real estate advice but they've got it all worked out already.

Me? I ask the five smartest experts around, and then make the decision.

Not depressed/defeatist, just realistic. If I live another 30 years (length of a typical mortgage) we'll have a paid off house at age 83. Which would be fine and would be great for my son (who will be fine anyway as his maternal grandparents have him as their only grandchild). But I don't see a lot of upside relative to renting - other than fulfilling the drilled-in American dream of "you must own a home or you're a loser."

If I was in the midwest, then we'd be looking to buy, assuming a stable employment picture. But we're not. We're in a land of insane housing prices where you have to have either gotten in early and moved up or you have to leverage yourself and commit to at least 5 years in a place (especially given that I think we're at another bubble right now). Can't really accept either of those - don't want to lose the emergency fund that will cover us for a year plus with zero income and I'm on soft money. Could I land on my feet if something bad happens? Sure. But with renting at this point I have maximum flexibility.

We're going plenty strong - we're just doing it as renters and figure that is the best solution given the time/place. No way I'm going out on a limb for a $1M+ condo or shack on the westside. Would rather bide our time for a few years then move to a cheaper area or do another life/career change.

True dat!

And I AM a poopyhead landlord!