Meet Mr. & Mrs. Ready-to-Buy a House
Larry and Jill have been planning to buy a house for a long time. They've been looking at neighborhoods and cutting back on vacations, restaurants, and other extras. They have enough money for a down payment on a house, plus, they know that Larry's dad is willing to give them $10,000 when the time is right. Jill has just finished paying off her student loans. Larry recently got a promotion at work. They like homes in several neighborhoods with good schools for their kids. They're ready to get serious about shopping for a home.

Meet Mr. & Mrs. Keep Renting
Adam and Jodi also want to buy, but they don't want to leave the bistros and coffeehouses in the trendy neighborhood where they live. While they know that Jodi's father will help them with a down payment, there are simply no houses in their neighborhood that they can afford. Because they're both freelancers, their annual income varies quite a bit each year. And, their central location helps them get to any part of town easily. The neighborhoods they can afford are further away and would require a longer commute to work. Plus, they have a rent-controlled apartment that's big enough to start a family. For Adam and Jodi, it makes sense to keep renting and saving.