re: WSJ: Wall Street Has Spent Billions Buying Homes. A Crackdown Is Looming.

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If you're renting, unless you broke something yourself, the landlord will foot the bill for all repairs. Updates to the home? You don't pay. Need a new A/C unit? Paid by the landlord. Plumbing issue? Landlord.

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Will not happen unless you move and they think it needs updating in order to collect more rent.

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People lease cars because they like having a new car every few years. New car generally means not having to worry about problems that occur later on in life, cheaper montly pricing, not having to worry about selling, and paying less throughout those short term contracts so that you can save up for the next lease.

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Difference is that typically if you hold and pay for a home, it will be an asset of value when it's paid for. Cars decline. I doubt (althought it's possible) that there has been a time when a home held for 30 years didn't increase in value.

My HOA is researching adding to our rules a clause that a home must be lived in by the owner for a minimum of 1 year with a few caveats. HOA's in Houston are adding this to protect themselves from absentee and corporate landlords.