By the time Case Shiller drops today at 9am, I will be very busy (lounging on the beach). Expections are for the biggest drop in home prices a year.
In the meantime, you can check out this cool interactive Housing map, via Trulia. As you click around in this map, keep in mind the 4 key factors that determine the advantages of Renting vs Buying: Home Prices, Rental Prices, Mortgage Interest Rates, and RE Taxes. We can also add Personal Income and Inflation as the 2 wild cards.
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click for interactive graphic
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Previously:
Cost of Ownership: Buy vs Rent (June 2010)
NYT: The Housing Bear Case (September 2010)
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