Man this is some good stuff. And, everyone has a different opinion for sure - that's why these things can be tough to digest and figure out some times.
Does the fact that I'm putting 20% help my position here relative to not getting under water at some point? Some of you might be surprised about how many folks I know still not putting 20% on the purchase of their first home and paying PMI.
I sort of look at the 20% as a bit of a safety net for me and that I'll immediately get "some" equity into the home and, even if I have to sell in 5 years time, I'll owe 270,000 on a 350,000 home (at least if 350k was my purchase price)
Put it this way...with 20% a lot can still go wrong, but is my nose less open to the bleeding from Day 1 as opposed to thousands of others purchasing their first home with 5 or 10% down?
If home prices fall when I need to sell, I've got way more cushion than the same person doing the same as I but putting down 10%, right?
I've paid 77,000 dollars in rent over the past 4 years since moving to Philadelphia burbs.
ETA: Again - yes I'm completely ignorant and a moron with this stuff. If my questions sound sophomoric, or written like I'm 12 years old it's because they probably are to the trained eye. I'm good at stuff I'm good at, but I don't know jacksquat about these things.