Buy or Rent

Buy or rent? That is the questions many Americans find themselves asking. There are pros and cons with both and there is not a answer that fits everyone, however my thesis will be describing which I believe is the better option.
Renting has the advantage of requiring no downpayment.   You usually only need a deposit of one months rent. If you have poor credit and are unable to obtain a mortgage loan, it may be your only option to having somewhere to live. Generally rent is slightly less than mortgage payments and some places throw utilities in with the rest.   With renting, you do not have to bother with repairs, because the property owner owns the home. That certainly has advantages but typically when you sign a lease you ae obligated to abide by someone else's rules which compromises one’s individualism.
How many of us have and love our animals? I am a pet owner and could not imagine not having them around. Landlords do not want the liability of you bringing in your animals onto their property.   I admit poorly trained dogs can be destructive and if i were a property owner leasing a house or apartment I would have some reservations as well.   The recent negative press on certain breeds of dogs has also contributed to mixed feeling towards dogs. Still, this is an infringement on your personal freedom to own a pet.
If you are renting an apartment, you have no yard to mow but you also have no yard to make your own.   You will not be able to have flowers, water gardens, swingsets, decks or outside get-together's with friends.   Typical square footage is usually less than with a home too.   You can rent a house but there are limitations to what the property owner will let you do there as well.   Remember, this is only a roof over your head; not your home to “make your own”.
Which brings us to the main issue and probably more important to most people would be that you are unable to customize the home to your liking. The leaser does not want what they have done to be...