If you had $10,000 laying around...

[BruceH]

I have to agree with Topless. You need a place to live, but you don't need 4000+ square feet to heat/cool pay taxes on, maintain. Most people spend way too much on their homes, that is the problem, not home ownership. Having a reasonably sized house allows you to pay it off before retirement, then, you will be able to write a check for a lot more than $600. You will be living in your house for much less than an apartment. Also, the reasonable house costs less to maintain, ie, taxes, utilities. And $10,000 is not a small amount of money when the time value of money is factored in.