Buy vs. Rent: Top Tips for Your Big Decision

When Dr. Alexis Roettinger returned last year to Newport, R.I., she knew it was worth it to buy a house.

After completing her medical residency in Buffalo, N.Y., she had landed a new job at the local hospital in the seaside city where she grew up. Roettinger, 35, knew she'd be staying a while.

To save money for a down payment, she lived in a rental condo. Then the buying bug bit. After looking at eight properties this spring, she found a house with the size, location and price she wanted.

"I don't think this will be my forever-and-forever house, but it will be for the next five to 10 years," she says.