Democracy Dies in Darkness

Mortgage rates are dropping. That doesn’t mean it’s time to buy a home.

The decision to buy must factor in a range of personal and financial factors -- not just rates.

6 min
(Washington Post illustration; iStock)
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I purchased my first home in my early 20s.

At the time, I was living in an apartment and quite satisfied with renting. If something broke, I could call the landlord to get it fixed. I didn’t have to mow a lawn in the summer or clear snow in the winter. If I wanted to relocate to another area, I could quickly move.

But I ended up buying a home because of my grandmother, whom I called Big Mama. I hadn’t done a lot of research into why homeownership was right for me. It was more to avoid moving back in with her.

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