The Benefits....

I have been renting apartments or houses for most of my adult life - minus the couple of years of home-ownership that did not work out as planned.  I tend to beat myself up over the fact that I rent rather than own.  I beat myself up over quite a few things so this obviously is not new.  Lately, instead of beating myself up, I have started to realize a benefit of renting that I hadn't thought of before. 

I get to experiment with different floor-plans, fixtures, flooring, appliances and so on without the commitment of a mortgage.  Over the years, I have figured out what I like and don't like, what I want in a home and what I would prefer to live without.  Here are a few things that I have figured out.

1- Hardwood floors  are not a good idea for people with feet problems.  Especially people who like to take their shoes off as soon as they walk in the door.  My entire main floor is hardwood. 

2- Black granite counter tops never seem to look clean - even after a good scrubbing.  Especially in the areas around the faucets.

3- Black appliances always look like they need to be cleaned - even after a good scrubbing.

4- I love having a double oven.

5 - I do not like smooth-top ranges.  Of course, it could be that mine is black.

6 - I do not like side-by-side refrigerators.  I feel like I don't have enough space.

7 - Not a fan of the open-plan concept. At least not the one I have.  Makes arranging furniture a little difficult.

8 - A window in my bathroom is a must.

9- Three bedrooms is must.  One for me, one for my son (or guest when the boy moves out), and one to use as an office.  My office is currently a corner of my living room.  I work at home so this is not ideal.

10 - A garage is not just for parking cars.  I need the space for my projects.  I miss having a garage.

I could go on but I will leave it there.  As you can see the benefit of renting is in finding out what I want when I buy a home.  And that is how I am going to look at until it is time to get my own place.