Why renting a home is not just a ‘waste of money’

THERE is a common understanding that renting a home is a waste of money. After all, the easiest way to make bank is to find a good partner, get married, buy a Housing and Development Board Build-To-Order (HDB BTO) flat, move in, and then later sell your flat for a tidy profit.

Rental is seen as the opposite of that. It is a money pit that does not provide any return on investment because it is purely an expense.

As someone who does not have any near-term plans to get married (sorry, mum), I have been thinking about when I will finally be able to move out.