Everyone needs a place to live. Everyone desires a place to live. In the United States, you are expected to participate in the rat race of buying a place to live just like buying a car or graduating high school. You are judged by the style, age and price of the house. Social status is tied to what you are able to afford, the neighborhood you are willing to invest in, and the upkeep you can maintain. Nobody wants to be in a crappy neighborhood, or have a neighbor that can't maintain their property. At the same time, your social status is being determined solely by how much debt you are willing to risk.
Alternatives to buying a house are available, but limited. Renting is probably the most commonly and socially acceptable alternative. Renting provides a great opportunity is a solution to those who can not yet afford a house, are transitioning between situations, or have failed the risk of ownership. Renting has developed into a huge industry with different levels of quality, from "section 8 housing" to resort like living in gated communities. Landlords of all walks of life have found ways to profit off the system, but are not to blame for anything more than trying to make a living. Different levels of government have tried to step in from time to time and set regulations to keep things fair, but at the end of the day the results have been mediocre at best.
Frustrations aside, picking a place to live can seem easy, until you get into the details. First, identify the lifestyle you want to live. How much of a commute is within your tolerance? What neighborhood reflects the values you believe in? Where do you want to spend a third of your life? While that might not be the plan at the moment, it could very well end up that way. With the change of job stability, the concept of dedicating 30 years to a house is hard to swallow. Saving up funds always makes these challenges easier, but the deeper questions are not solved with money. After answering some of these questions and narrowing down the where that makes sense, a budget needs to be set. Plenty of calculators are out there on what you can afford. These encourage more risk than what you might be comfortable with. Imagine setting aside the amount they are suggesting as a payment each month. While nothing is easy, owning a house is not for everyone.
Finally, enjoy the search. the perfect one will come around. Don't rush into things. This will only cause heartache. Set your needs and wants to identify what you can not live without and what you can put up with. Expect those needs and wants to change over time. This could be short, or long term. Don't settle. Whatever your situation is, whether you are buying a house, renting, or living on someone's couch, don't give up and accept less than what you deserve. Put the time and effort into more than just a job to create some stability. Save money where you can and break that social status association that is separating us from one another. Houses might not be what they use to be and are only getting older, but they are a place to live that we make our own. This is what changes a house to a home.