Renting versus Owning

Deciding whether it's best to buy or rent a home isn't an easy decision. There are financial pros and cons (利与弊) to each. Plus, whether or not you want to become a homeowner(n.自己拥有住房者) may depend on your lifestyle, so it's very much a personal choice.

Pros to renting

-You're not required to save up a hefty (adj.繁重的) down payment(首付).

-Renting is normally a short-term commitment (you normally can sign a lease for as little as a few months to a year).

-You are usually free of major maintenance costs and paying property taxes -- your landlord takes care of that.

-You aren't tied down to (束缚于) one place, and can relocate(v.迁移) fairly easily.

Cons to renting

-You may be subject to (受..支配) rent increases that you can do little about.

-You might not be able to decorate a home as you like. (You may have to stick with the white walls and beige(adj.米色的) carpeting that your landlord put in.)

-You may be subject to restrictions on pets.

-You could be evicted (v.驱逐) (say, if the landlord decides not to renew your lease, or to sell the home) and may need to seek another place to live.

Pros to buying

-The home is yours, so you have more control over how to decorate it and landscape　（v.美化）it.

-Greater stability -- as long as（只要）you can afford the property taxes and your mortgage(n.抵押) payments, you don't have to worry about being evicted.

-Getting to know the neighbors. Because you are likely to stay in a home you own longer than one you rent, you may become more involved in your community.

Cons to buying

-When it comes to maintaining a home, it's all about you. It's up to you to make the repairs when the toilet leaks (v.泄露) or pay the handyman(n.杂务工) for the fixes.

-You may have to borrow heavily and pay interest (take out a mortgage) to afford the home. You could lose your house if you can't keep up with your mortgage payments.

参考翻译：

究竟是买房子还是租房子，确实不是个能轻易做的决定。两方都有利弊。另外，是否想成为房子的主人可能还取决于你的生活方式，所以这是一个很个人化的决定。

租房的好处：

-你无须节省下那笔繁重的首付资金

-租房通常都是一个短期合约（你通常签订的租期合约只有数月或一年。

-你通常不用支付房屋维修费和房产税——你的房东会负责这一切。

-你不会只束缚于一个地方，搬家非常容易。

租房的弊处：

-对租金的上涨，你无能无力只能接受。

-你无法依照你的喜好来装修房子(你只能忍受房东所布置的白墙壁和米色地毯。)

-你可能要接受不能养宠物的限制。

-你可能会被下逐客令（比如：你的房东决定不再续你的租约，或者准备卖出这套房子），你就需要另寻他处了。

买房的好处：

-房子是你的，所以你对如何装修和美化它有更多的控制权。

-更好的稳定性——只要你能承担房产税和你的贷款，你不用担心会被赶出家门。

-能开始了解邻居了。因为住自己的房子，往往会比租别人房子要住得长久，你可能更会融入小区。

买方的弊处：

-维修房屋的事情，可都要你来做。如果马桶漏水了，自行修理还是付钱雇杂务工，你可要好好计算下。

-你可能需要借款和支付利息(冲销抵押款)才能承受起房子。如果你无法持续支付抵押贷款，你可能会失去房子。