5. Think Hard About Whether to Buy a House

　　认真考虑要不要买房

　　Our current image of the American Dream revolves around homeownership, and buying a home is often taken for granted as a stage on the path to full-fledge adulthood. But the ideal of universal home ownership was born in the 1950s. Its a rather new idea.

　　现在我们对美国梦的阐释依旧围绕着有房有家，买房被理所当然认为是通往完满成年阶段的一个步骤。不过，20世纪50年代诞生了通用置业的观念。这个观念相当新奇。

　　With such a short history, its funny that people often insist that buying a house is a fool-proof investment and the best way to secure retirement. In fact, buying a house may not be the best choice for you. The mortgage may be less than rent, but there are also taxes, insurance, and the increasingly common Home Owners Association fees. You may someday sell the house for more than you bought it but, if you paid interest on a mortgage, you also paid far more than the sale price. You have freedom from a landlord, but may discover your HOA is just as controlling, or worse. And then theres the headache: renting relieves you from the stress of being responsible for repairs. It also offers a freedom of movement that you might cherish.

　　有意思的是，在短时间内，人们就坚持认为买房是安心退休的最保本投资、最好的方法。其实，买房或许并不是你最好的选择。房贷或许比房租低，但你还得支付税费、保险费，以及日益增长的业主协会会费。或许将来你会高价卖掉房子，可是，如果你为房贷付利息，那么你的支出也远远超过卖房收入了。你可能不再受房东的气，可你会发现HOA也很烦人，甚至比房东还讨厌。还有头疼的事呢：如果租房子的话，你不用负责维修事宜;而且，你可以说搬就搬了。

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