I'm not committed to buying it. I'm trying not to play roulette with $500. I wouldn't consider any house without an inspection. I'm just trying to weigh the pros and cons of taking the first steps. We have certain knowledge advantages that are atypical, but I still don't want to play roulette with $500 if I don't have to. I have lots of things I can put that to. I will be paying some debts for as long as I live, so throwing $500 at them doesn't help my life. Paying a mortgage rather than rent helps my life, the other debts don't change. So I'm trying to gauge odds here.

I can also continue to rent and pay someone else's equity and have the freedom to move, but I've moved a lot in my life and I wouldn't mind 10-15 years of not moving.