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We hear a lot about things being "investments" — even when they aren't in actuality. And one of those things is buying a home. While we like to think that buying a home is making an investment (and for some, the real estate bubble made it so), having a home mortgage loan is not an investment.

If you plan to use your home as a primary residence and raise a family in it, you are not making an investment.

You can buy a home, financing it with a mortgage, and enjoy a number of benefits. Most of them are intangible:

* A place to call home. * A (usually) safe and stable place for your children. * Peace of mind. * A feeling of accomplishment. * A tax benefit on the mortgage interest and property taxes.

All of these are nice things. But from a financial standpoint, paying a mortgage on your primary residence isn't making an investment. (Buying property that you plan to make money on, like a rental, is another story.) You do not get a regular return, and when you sell the home, chances are that even an appreciated home won't cover the real amount of money you've paid out when you add in interest, taxes and maintenance.

But it's still nice to have a home, even if it does come with mortgage. We have enjoyed our home. I just don't tell myself it's an investment. It's really a long-term purchase.

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