[kashi]

I guess it depends on what you want, jacquelynrose. Do you want to live in a mobile home for an extended period of time? It sounds like if you go to the trouble of buying one, it is going to depreciate significantly, and you might want to plan on staying there for a while. You'd probably have more space in a mobile home, but not necessarily. Some nice things about apartment living are that you can get out of a lease if you absolutely have to...your lease will usually only be a year long max, so you aren't stuck there...and your landlord is expected to fix things if they break, not you. Do you want to buy a house in the future? If so, how long do you want to live in an apartment or mobile home until you buy a house?

If you look at apartments, don't just go with the first place you look at, unless you absolutely love it. I looked at approx 20 apartments before I found my current one, which was in my price range and perfect for me. I absolutely love, love, love this place. Before you start looking, make a list of all the things you want to have, things you must have, and things you don't want in an apartment. Make sure you factor in how you feel about the landlord in your decision, if you meet him or her. I've never had a landlord who told me what to do all the time...in fact, they have always been there for me when I needed them and that was it. Maybe I have been lucky...but I like to think it was because I didn't settle for the first no-windows, no-parking, crazy-landlord apartment I looked at.

Best of Luck in your decision!