Not a straightforward question. As a renter, I can pack up and leave on relatively short notice, with limited liabilities. But as a homeowner, I might as well be an indentured servant to my mortgage company. If I own my home and suddenly find that I need to sell it and move elsewhere for work or other reasons, I can expect to take a six-figure bath in today's market.

Personally I would rather be a serf than a prisoner... hence my preference for renting.