Super personal question, right? There is a clear and definite answer to the question and most people buy or rent for specific purposes. Many of us can’t afford to buy and many of us can’t afford to rent! There is a play on words there. I’ve met plenty of renters who often say that the reason they rent is because they cannot afford to buy a home. Living in NYC does not make buying easy. Most homes (even those in horrific shape) have a price tag of over a million dollars. Who can afford that?? (Plenty of people, but me and mine can’t right at this moment.) I’ve also met plenty of home owners who say that they would never even entertain the idea of renting because it is synonymous with throwing your money out of the window every month.

I know a few people who are looking to buy homes or condos and every single one of these people have different budgets that they are working with and different needs. Some people have specific neighborhoods that they want to be in and others are looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city but be close enough to the city to get to work.

The key to figuring out if you want to rent or buy is to first figure out your needs. What do you need? That is the question that you first have to answer (for most things in your life actually.) If you are ok with renting and knowing that the money that you pay to a landlord does not benefit you at the end of the rental relationship then renting is for you. There is a mutual understanding in the relationship and you may not want to be bothered with the headaches of home ownership. Home ownership does come with certain headaches but it also comes with the joy of knowing that you have made an investment in yourself and your family.

But whether you own or rent, you can hook up your space. The decor ideas are all around IG and Pintrest, are affordable and found in some of your favorite home goods stores.