You've probably heard that homeownership is a significant part of the quote-unquote American dream.

While many believe that owning a home is still a worthy goal, most Americans say it's increasingly unattainable.

A 2024 Harris poll found that 81% of renters want to own a home,

but 61% worry they'll never be able to afford it. According to the Urban Institute, the median

wealth gap between renters and homeowners is at an all-time high of almost $400,000. While that's a significant number,

renting can also be a smart way to build wealth if you follow some guidelines. This podcast will

review the rent versus own debate. So you can consider the pros and cons of each side of homeownership.

I've been a renter and a homeowner, and I'll discuss how each option could make you wealthier

over the long run. Welcome back, everyone. I appreciate you joining me for Money Girl episode

894. I'm Laura Adams, an award-winning author,

on-camera spokesperson, money speaker, founder of the MoneyStack. That's my substack newsletter,

and host of Money Girl with over 43 million downloads. If you're enjoying the free content,

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All right, so let's get into the rent versus own debate. We'll start out by talking about

how renting a home can make you wealthier first. While homeownership does have many benefits

...