Ever thought about just asking if you could rent a house for one month each year (like an AirB&B home?). I do agree with your H in this way--I think our economy is in a whole lot of turmoil and transition underneath the surface. It is a good time to be conservative in regards to big ticket items. Anything could happen--prices could keep going up quickly (so you can sell now and make good money but then if you have to sell before buying then perhaps there won't be anything to buy right now in the new market) or if the inflation gets so out of control eventually that they have to raise interest rates--housing prices could eventually crash (not short term IMO but if you are saving money then perhaps it could give you the possibility of buying a 2nd home where your son is). After the 2008/9 housing crash, there were nice places in Las Vegas, NV that could be bought for $10,000--boy, did people who bought then make some good $. The safest way to buy an asset is to buy when it is low. Yes, perhaps nothing will ever get low again but you never know. Deflation IS one of the possibilities in todays crazy economy--IMO, this is why our government is spending so much money right now. I hope you can find a compromise that will make both you and your H happy.