No, Rocco, you're not alone. Most Americans are under the false impression a house is an asset. It's not. A finance teacher in college once explained this brilliantly and simply: anything that takes money out of your pocket is a liability, not an asset. Ditto for a house. Not only must you pay a mortgage, but as you pointed out, all the maintenance is your responsibility. The only time you may realize a financial gain on your home is if you decide to sell it - and you need to pray it sells for more than your original purchase price. Even if you pay for your home completely in cash, you still have property taxes to pay - in addition to the upkeep. Another important thing about taxes - no matter if your home is paid for or not, stop paying your property taxes and you will quickly find out how easily your home can be taken from you. So, I agree, renting is not simply "paying someone else's mortgage" or "throwing money down the drain" as so many believe. It truly is more complicated than that.