Put all your money in gold. After the rapture in December 2012, gold is the old currency Jesus will allow to remain.

There hasn't been a better time to consider buying in a long time......research indicates that it is a better financial move to buy a home as opposed to renting but the decision comes down to your personal desire.

Our recommendation is to at least consider looking at homes before making a decision. The best decisions are made when people have take the time to collect information and weigh their options.

Good luck

Hi Joanna
Bottom line, it's a personal lifestyle decision. Homeownership has definite tax benefits, BUT you need to ask yourself how long you plan on living in an area. In appreciating markets I always told homebuyers to plan on living in a property 2 years to "break even" from their investment and selling costs. While this was a very conservative estimate in many markets I'd rather a homeowner/seller be happy with a profit that fraught with despair at not being able to sell or losing equity. In today's market a buyer/homeowner needs to really analyze the market and determine how long they believe they will be in an area.
Do you enjoy being responsible for your own property? Do you plan on traveling and possibly moving around? What is the draw to the Amarillo, TX area? Do you have family there? There are all sorts of options from condos to cluster homes in many areas and only you can determine what you are most comfortable with. There may even be lease options available that would put you in line to move forward with a purchase if that is what you ultimately determine is best for your future lifestyle.
Connect with a Realtor in the Amarillo, TX area and have these discussions while researching the market then make the decision that is best for you! Good luck and follow your dreams. We had a client in our office that always wanted to live in Hawaii....you know what...when she retired she did just that!!!

Joanna,

Buy only if you plan on staying in Amarillo for a long period of time. The yearly house appreciation is not there yet. If you decide to move again in a year or two you may not get back what you have put into it.

Joanna,

I would encourage you to buy, but I would also encourage you to know where you want to go for sure. Look the markets over carefully in the areas you are interested in. I wouldn't jump the gun though, as some areas are still declining in price.

Good Luck!

You could rent for 6 months to 1 year to check things in Amarillo, TX. Imagine that you don’t like it and you are stuck with a house. Now, if you don’t like it and you are renting, you just wait until the end if the lease or get an agreement and move on.

You won’t be less rich or poorer because of renting but you will have your freedom.

Test the city first, once you find the neighborhood you want to live for at least 2 to 3 years, buy!

Why rent make a landlord richer? Lease amounts can change over next 40 years vs. locked in rate for a mortgage with increase in value... I would purchase than lease any time. Besides you receive annual tax benefits.

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