Why Rent?

When compared to purchasing a home, the advantages of renting vs. buying are substantial and worth serious consideration. Take a moment to learn the facts and discover why renting a Muesing community apartment or town home is a wise decision.

Maintenance is handled by our qualified staff - so your time is your own!
In a Muesing community, all maintenance is taken care of for you. You don't mow the lawn, shovel snow, repair or replace the air conditioning, appliances, or a leaky roof. Best of all, you don't have to incur all the exorbitant expenditures associated with these labor-intensive projects.

Your free time is your own - go to sporting events, the movies, visit friends, exercise, or just sleep late. Many Muesing communities have beautiful swimming pools and recreational areas for you, your family and friends to enjoy quality time together.
Buying a home isn't always the best investment!
If you've saved long and hard to get to the point where you can make a down payment on a new home, you may want to consider your investment alternatives.

Homes don't always go up in value. And even when they do, many other investments go up considerably more. According to the National Association of Home Builders, from 1990 to 1997, the median existing home price has gone up from $95,500 to $118,600, a total increase of 24%.

According to Standard and Poor (S&P), if you had made an investment in the basket of securities that comprise the S&P 500 in 1990, over the same seven year period, your investment would have appreciated 253%, with dividends invested. Now that's an investment!
When you weigh the "tax savings" of home ownership - you may not beat the standard income tax deduction available to renters!
Mortgage principal, interest, taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, maintenance, major repairs, water and sewage, sanitation, association fees...

Often it is said that the tax benefits of home ownership offset the costs of home ownership just mentioned above. However, the tax savings are commonly overstated, particularly by those who stand to profit from home purchasers, such as mortgage lenders and homebuilders.

Mortgage interest and property taxes are deductible only if a homeowner chooses to itemize their deductions rather than elect to use the standard deduction. Many homeowners find that the standard deduction, which is available to renters as well, saves more money. In many cases, the tax savings when you own your home add up to only a fraction greater than the standard deduction - and you still have to mow the lawn every week!
The day you buy your home - it has to appreciate 15% in value for you to break even!
Leading mortgage lenders have calculated that real estate commissions, title fees, loan fees, reports and inspections to buy and sell the average home equal 15% of the home's value. So if you buy a home for $100,000, you have to sell it for $115,000 just to break even.
Renting often allows you to live in an area that you could not afford to live in if you were buying!
It's also true that you can often live closer to where you work when you rent - giving you more free time and shortening your commute!
If you are not absolutely sure you will be there in four years, you probably should not buy a home now!
In the past, most people lived in one place all their lives. That's not true anymore. If you need to move during the next few years because of a job opportunity or a family situation, you are going to seriously jeopardize the investment you made in your home. As previously mentioned, your home has to appreciate 15% in value for you to break even. What if you can't find a buyer at your original price when you need to move? You can always move out of your apartment at the end of your lease; you can't always sell your home at a good price when you need to move.

Now that you know the facts...

...we know you'll make a decision that's right for your lifestyle and investment needs. The logical answer is choosing one of our many attractive apartment communities!