DConf 2013 Day 3 Talk 1: Metaprogramming in the Real World by Don Clugston

[Andrei Alexandrescu]

On 6/11/13 5:29 PM, Walter Bright wrote:
> On 6/11/2013 2:19 PM, Steven Schveighoffer wrote:
>> Define financially better off :)
>
> You have mo' moolah. Is their any other definition?
>
>
>> And this is not even a fair conversation, because there are so many
>> variables to
>> consider.
>
> I'd like to pop that default conception that buying is financially
> better than renting. It's only true if real estate values appreciate
> faster than inflation plus taxes plus real estate commissions, which is
> hardly a sure thing.
>
> (A lot of people overlook property taxes and capital gains taxes when
> they make these calculations. I know one guy who cashed in his stock
> options and bought a house with the proceeds, only to be forced to sell
> it a year later because he couldn't pay the upkeep and taxes on his
> salary.)
>
> I can't even recall anyone remembering that selling a house costs you a
> 6% commission to the real estate agent. Poof! There goes a big chunk of
> your profits right off the top.
>
> Housing prices have to go up a lot to counter all that.

Whoa. I agree with all that, but this is well-known stuff, not obscure 
information going against common beliefs. There are a bunch of sites 
computing "buy vs rent" etc.

Andrei