More on the rent-vs-buy brawl

So I wake up this morning and see this: another bit on the merits of renting rather than buying.

It's no surprise that New York and San Francisco were most prominently featured. What I found more interesting was the writer's assertion -- backed by a study done by the New York Times -- that the much-vaunted tax benefits of homeownership aren't as colossal as everyone seems to think.

I'm grateful to see the other side of the debate. For so long renting has been considered the bastard step-cousin of owning; merely a step on the ladder, a means, not a end.

But on a personal note, renting has allowed me to live the kind of life I've always sought. Renting has meant I could travel and teach overseas, making a pittance without the worry of keeping up a home mortgage. It's meant I haven't been locked down to a day job. It's not for everyone, but it's a choice that's ever more worthy of investigation.