Being happy and satisfied in your surroundings is very important
. Everyone needs a space that they feel safe and comfortable in. This is something that can be achieved pretty simply. It doesn't mean that you need a castle or something grand to live in. It means something more basic than that. You might be happy living in a beach side cave if you like to surf. But even then at some point you will want some security to go along with that. Security in knowing that you can afford where you live and that is a safe place to be.
People will generally buy a house as opposed to renting because one day there will be no more payments and they have something that is worth money. With renting you don't have to deal with a leaky roof that needs to be fixed or with appliances that go out on you because the owner will fix it. You will though have nothing to show for having paid rent for all those years.
Home ownership has it's complications. In the beginning it can seem hard. You generally won't own the house for approximately 30 years. All that time you are paying a nice fat payment every month. You have to pay taxes and insurance every year. They are not cheap. You also have to pay to have everything fixed when it breaks. Homeowners insurance will cover certain things that come up, like your roof caving in if a large tree falls on it. But then you have to worry that they might cancel your policy or raise the premiums. That's why you want really good homeowners coverage.
One nice way to avoid dealing with large appliances needing repairs is getting a home warranty. These don't cost too much and are great to have because it will get someone out to fix whatever is broken or to replace it. You will be safe from a possibly large expense if say your refrigerator goes out and has to be replaced. Those are expensive.
If you buy at a good price, and get a great mortgage with a low interest rate, you will have a low monthly payment. This can be a lot lower than what you were paying in rent. If you bought a house that needs a little work then you will get an even better deal. To be able to do all the rehab and fixing up that it needs you can look into getting an equity line of credit. This will provide you with ready cash that you can use for repairs and then put the money back in little by little until you need it again. It is a decent way to get a nice house and a home that makes you happy.