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Why A Home Is A Good Investment
As a general rule, homes appreciate about 3 to 5 percent a year. Some years will be more, some less. The figure will vary from neighborhood to neighborhood, and region to region.
3 percent may not seem like that much. Other investments such as stocks or treasury bills might offer a higher interest rate.
But take a second look.
Let's look at one example.
If you buy a $200,000 home, and put as much as twenty percent down that would be an investment of $40,000.
At an appreciation rate of 3% annually, a $200,000 home would increase in value $6,000 during the first year. At 5% annually, a $200,000 home would increase in value $10,000 during the first year. That means you earned between $6,000 and $10,000 with an investment of $40,000. Your annual "return on investment" would be somewhere between 15% and 25%. Sounds like a pretty good rate of return doesn't it?
Of course, you will be making mortgage payments and paying property taxes, along with a maintenance costs. However, since the interest on your mortgage and your property taxes are both tax deductible, the government is essentially subsidizing your home purchase.
You have to pay to live somewhere anyway, why not get something in return for that monthly payment?