No Picket Fence on Some Men's Horizon

Even though the government and society applaud homeownership, a growing number of men are little interested in the institution for financial, practical, and emotional reasons.

Only 10 percent of single men buy houses. Some experts say this disparity is related to single males' interest in changing jobs and cities, as well as being more willing to share living space.

Possibly for some people, house buying evolved from living in a house to a speculative investment during the last decade, and with the collapse of the housing market, some people are looking at the true value of that investment to determine if owning a house is worth the expense.

Nathan Quevedo says his bout with homeownership has taught him that having the American dream does not necessarily mean owning a house. Homeownership ties buyers to a location, which makes it harder for people to accept new business ventures and job opportunities if they are in another location.

Moreover, repairs and damage can be costly. Ohio State University Economics Professor Donald Haurin says, "People who are particularly mobile should not be a homeowner because of the high transaction costs [of unloading a house.]"


Source: New York Times