Owning a home is considered one of the best and most financially savvy a person can make—if you can afford it. After all, it’s the largest asset class in the largest financial market in the world, and the 30-year mortgage is a unique American invention that (theoretically) invites everyone into the American Dream of homeownership. Buying a house allows people to build equity and wealth over time by making mortgage payments that reduce the loan principal and increase the owner’s stake in the home until, id ...