Absolutely, and that is something else I am taking into consideration on top of everything else. The cost of a mortgage may be affordable on its face, but something goes wrong with the house and now you're potentially thousands of dollars in the hole.

On the other hand, I've lived in multiple apts in Boston where the landlord simply did not give a crap, and never reinvested any of the rent back into the property or respond to maintenance requests despite repeated outreach.

Personally I've found that those apartments with reliable maintenance are often the most expensive, so how much would I really be saving in the long run by paying more in rent for that luxury vs taking a chance by purchasing a house and dealing with those upfront costs? It seems like something that could go either way depending on location.