There has always been a great debate over whether apartment renters or owners are happier. Many years ago, buying a Boston real estate was part of the apartment renters dream. You were not accomplished until you had a property in your name, and the only people who rented were the ones who couldn’t buy.
Times have certainly changed. Renting has become a coveted trend, and even many homeowners have traded in their mortgage for less responsibility. In fact, many celebrities, athletes, etc., choose to rent when they are more than capable of buying a home. So who is happier?
What is happiness?
The head gurus believe they have the answers. They conduct studies asking brilliant questions such as:
Are you happy?
1) most of the time;
b) some of the time or;
c) leave me alone, you should only have my problems.
They conclude something like home owner inhabitants are 14% happier than renters.
Boston Real Estate Thoughts and Answers
Read on if you’re sad. If you’re happy you obviously already know the answers. Here are other items that some think will make you happy:
Money? Uh uh. Money brings a temporary high. Seems lottery winners feel great initially but actually soon plunge as they cannot adjust to their new wealth. Chat with a lotto winner and you would hear him say:
“Ah, those days before winning the $15 million dollars in Mass Lottery…We had a huge mortgage, the finance company owned the Camry, we couldn’t afford Charlie’s braces…Those were the good old days.”
So if it’s not money, then love?
King Solomon had 1,000 wives and concubines. Was he happy? Not sure. He went around saying, “Comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love.”
With a harem like that at least you no longer have to waste time with online dating services.
Is happiness having an athletic body? Like a professional athlete? Athletes have both fame and fortune as well. Alas, how often you find them in misery. We see baseball players utterly dejected as their team is down 10-0 in the 9th inning. Pay me $15 million U.S a year and I’ll find a way to smile at the camera.
Many of us would be thrilled just to get a good seat to watch the game. And here is a guy who gets to see the game for free from ground level, and he’s not happy. What gives?
What about educated professionals? Certainly not the happiest. Shakespeare said, “First, kill all the lawyers.” Problem is he likely meant it. And he’s not alone.
My dentist always reminds me that dentists have one of the highest suicide rates. I hate when he gets irritated with sharp instruments in my mouth.
Boston Real Estate and the Bottom Line
So let me try to answer the original question as best I can.
I’ve rented a young professional her first Beacon Hill apartment since moving out of her parents home. She seemed very happy.
I also sold a Beacon Hill condo to a new divorce individual, she didn’t seem so happy.
This Boston real estate blog post is making me sad. I need a beer, I think that will make me happy.
