It tends to appreciate 3-8% year over year.

For the average buyer, appreciation will generally occur over the course of the ownership time period, but it is the product of the housing market around you.

However, she says the average person shouldn’t consider their home an investment.

Mindy’s home is an investment, but that’s because she buys dumpy homes, fixes them up, and forces the appreciation.

Instead, she asks about the price range, what kind of home they are looking for, and what condition it should be in.

As a real estate agent, Mindy tries to stop herself from asking clients how much they can afford.

How little can you spend to meet your lifestyle needs and what’s the best financial decision to meet those needs? There’s a lot of math behind a buying vs. The more you buy, the more you are spending, and the less wealth you will have. Housing is an expense whether buying or renting.

Is purchasing a home a good investment? Mindy says, “Maybe”.

According to their book, “…a smart home purchase will not only give you a place to live, but also offer flexibility, financial stability, and the chance to recognize and increase in that home’s value over time”.

Even if you’ve already purchased a home, Scott and Mindy’s book is a masterclass to help you rework the process during your next home buy.

Scott Trench and Mindy Jensen from BiggerPockets join the show to discuss home buying and their new book, First-Time Home Buyer: The Complete Playbook to Avoiding Rookie Mistakes.

Owning may not be the right decision for everyone. After looking at the numbers, there’s an ongoing debate over homeownership.

In 2008-2009, the American dream of a home with a white picket fence turned into a financial nightmare, sending many families underwater for a decade.

First-Time Home Buyer by Scott Trench