Have You Got Nine Years?

If the housing bust's low prices have you tempted to buy versus rent a home, here are some things to consider.

Over the long haul, the thinking goes, buying a home will make your expenses more stable because unlike rent -- which can increase with a month's notice -- home mortgages don't go up if you have a fixed rate mortgage.

One good way to determine if buying a home is a better deal than renting is to find out how long it will take to live there before the monthly mortgage is lower than the monthly rental cost.