But renting might deserve another look right now. After five years in which rents have barely budged while house prices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and elsewhere have doubled, renting has become a surprisingly smart option for many people who never would have considered it before.

I'd heard this before. Here's the Times writeup. Take the difference between the total cost of home ownership and your rent and buy the SP500 or something.

Is It Better to Buy or Rent?