Yeah I was really trying not to say that the house was an investment. It's more like insurance against future costs. I know property tax and insurance can increase your monthly payments, but generally not nearly as much as rent increases are.
I rented for 6 years before I bought. I moved every 2 years because my rent would go up $40 to $80 a month every year so I had to move further and further out from DC. Once I bought my mortgage payments go up $5 to $15 every so often, many years not at all. One year they went down. Couple that with the tax break and I know I am way ahead from renting.
I guess if I had to replace my roof and my central air broke both at the same time I might have a different opinion =)
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