Building your own home is more expensive, in the short-term, than renting. However, like buying a home, you can think of it as an investment if you plan to live in it for long enough. Also, building a home is generally even a better investment than buying because it costs less: When you buy into a development or a new house, between 15% and 25% of the price is profit for the developer. The lower overall cost of building versus buying means your investment will gain market value more quickly, and is therefore a bit safer in the medium term. Generally, though, building can make financing more complicated, and you need a larger chunk of cash to start with, so it won’t be an option for many.