Tj

I highly recommend renting first. If prices are only going to go down over the next few months as a few of the responders have alleged, then you aren't losing out by renting now. Even if you were to lose any money in rental fees, you might win out due to lower home prices.

Also, the biggest reason to rent is to be sure you're in the area you like. We moved to the area shortly after I received my freshly minted MBA to take a job in Hillsboro, too. There are lots of nice areas and we worked with an agent and some family here but we never really got a "feel" for the area. Where would we like to shop? Where are the good restaurants? Where is the traffic worst? What kind of schools would we like our kids to be in? There's a lot you can research in advance but a lot that doesn't really "click" until you experience it for a bit.

The other reason to rent is that then you are buying a home from a position of strength. Is a home in your ideal neighborhood not available just yet? Do you dislike your agent? Is the seller on the home you want not willing to come down on price? Who cares! If you're renting, time is on your side and you can wait it all out and make the adjustments you need without feeling desperate.

While renting may mean that you're moving twice in a relatively short period of time, if you're looking for a home you hope to be happy in for several years, I highly recommend renting first. - Thu Aug 28 2008, 09:45