When you buy a home you stop inflation on your housing expenses. What does that mean for you? leerdam.jpg

Ask your grandparent, your parents, maybe a neighbor who has lived in his/her house for 30 years: what did they pay for their house, OR for how much did they pay in rent… Get it? The first home we bought when we lived in the Netherlands was on the Tiendweg in Leerdam . It was built in the 1930-s and these homes initially sold for a whopping 3,000 to 5,000 Guilders each… Right now this around 445,000 Euro (Euro is 2 guilders) Back to Sonoma County, the homes in Montgomery village in Santa Rosa, when these homes were built in the 1950-s they sold for the unthinkable price of 5,000 Dollars, considered expensive in these days.

But then again, ask the same grandparents, how much they paid for a loaf of bread…

My CPA George Hougthon uses as rule of thumb: every 30 years add a zero, to both buying a house and renting a house… Looking back in history: the time when people rented a house for $200 a month is not that long ago… Right now expect to pay $2,000 a month to rent a house…

Buying real estate is smart, inflation is just one reason… And think about investing in real estate in the context of inflation. Investing in real estate is a smart way to built a nest egg.

What are your thoughts?

Mirjam