I wouldn't try to answer that question for you, but I can give you some insight from one perspective. By 40 I owned my home and I was diagnosed with arthritis in my back. By 50 I could no longer work my job, much less keep up with the maintenance and yard work. I ended up homeless for a time, but God led me to an apartment that was a blessing to me. I don't have to worry if anything goes wrong I just call maintenance. I don't have to keep up with the yard or the pool that comes with it. Its almost perfect for me at this time in my life with the conditions I have. I hope you get more perspectives from others. Good luck and God bless!

You give us little to go on, there is much more to take into consideration. Here's some things to ask yourself that might help you with your decision. How stable is your financial picture (job security & savings), now and in the future ? Are you where you want to be, or would you like a change of location in the not too distant future (maybe taking a better job in another part of the country)? What's your timeline and tolerance for risk and loss ? Do you have a reliable group of people who can support you with help ( financial and handy work) when life throws you that curve ball, and then another for good measure ? ...... Buying a house is probably the most expensive item you are ever going to purchase, and depending on your personal situation ... it could be your wisest financial move ever, if you are okay with long term investment. At 38 you still have time (before retirement) to pay off a mortgage on a nice 2 or 3 bedroom home (depending on your finances, likes, lifestyle & location). The more you can put down upfront and making weekly payments ... the easier it is to pay down a mortgage. Making your maximum "anniversary payments" is also an excellent way to speed up your pay off date because it goes directly against your principal in one chunk and cuts down the interest that you have yet to pay out. The longer you keep and maintain your property .. the more it will increase in value. Depending largely on location, your property value in 20 years time could be double, triple, or even quadruple what you paid for it. Good investment ? I think it is, but be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. When you rent - your money goes away and you have little responsibility other than to pay your rent on time. When you purchase property it is a serious long term commitment and all responsibility falls on your shoulders. Can you handle that ? The beauty part is that in the end all your money and more comes back to you when you sell your property, and in the meantime you have to live somewhere, right? So choose wisely and affordably. Make up a pro's & con's list (with your personal situation in mind) as to whether to keep renting or take the plunge. If you take the plunge - make yourself a reasonable checklist of everything you want in a home. When home hunting ... bring your list and stick to it (remember- long term investment). Stay away from "fix-er-uppers", they tend to turn into money pits for the non-professional construction worker types (flippers). Good Luck with whatever you decide to to.

The question is very general so this is very general and does not take your personal situation into consideration. I woud recommend, if at all possible, to buy a house. There are several advantages but the greatest would be financial if you live in an area where housing prices continue to rise. In buying the house, again if at all possible, make a plan that you will have the house paid off about the time you will retire. Retirement in the US is very difficult unless you earn a lot of money. The house, once paid for, will very likely to be the largest asset you own. If you stay in the house after retirement, with the mortgage paid off, it will reduce your cost of living, possibly by as much as half allowing your money to go much further. With the house paid off after retirement you may be able to sell it, if you want and move to a different area. If you have serious health problems at that point in your life, you can also sell the house or rent it out to provide the funds to possibly live in a facility if needed. A house, even if it is not complely paid for, will provide you much more flexibility in your life, especially later in life when your income is far less. "One size does not fit all" in this regard but this plan has been very beneficial for me.

Definitely having your own home is great. But the question is very general. You have to consider a lot of things specially in financial stability.

probably buy since its yours

Depends on how you are doing financially. Residential real estate is expensive right now in some neighbourhoods, but still cheap in other places, so location matters a lot, too. I can't give you a yes/no answer, but think about how much your house payments will be (mortgage + taxes) and weigh that, along with your other bills (water, sewer, electricity, car payment, food, etc.) before deciding. If you are single and have no children, there might not be any personal advantage to owning a home, so focus on financial motivations and you should be able to make a good decision.