Renting vs buying

There is something so grounding about buying a house.

I even planted pots this summer.... twice. (they died of neglect over Christmas)

I think Australians and New Zealanders share the property dream and certainly the English do too... owning your space just makes it feel so much more like home.

It doesn't make much financial sense (so I'm told but would rather not believe) and I know many Europeans live in beautifully decorated rented homes all their lives. But here and in Australia and the UK you're very limited as a tenant and have to ask before putting in a picture hook.  And I always felt like a naughty child on inspection day - even when I was older than the estate agent!

We bought our first place together in London. It wasn't a house of course - just half a house - but we loved it.  I'm writing this at the small desk that was our dining table and can't believe we used to get four around it for dinner. I could turn around in my seat to reach the oven and whoever was opposite could get into the fridge while at the table. It was tiny but it was ours - even the crazy yellow walls in our bedroom! They didn't last long.

After renting three houses in another two cities we bought a house here in New Zealand and it feels good. Actually, really good.

It made the move much more exciting and I felt I could really put the effort into becoming part of the local community - and put effort too into decorating.

As tenants we were hopelessly unsettled. We had the three week rule.  If the pictures weren't on the wall in the first three weeks that was that. There they stayed stacked in groups next to the books with no shelves and the blinds that didn't fit but might in another house.

Not to say there aren't a few pictures stacked in this house but they ARE going on a wall...