Always happy to give my $0.02, and I try to be civil about it.

The thing I think you're still missing is that when you rent, the landlord is doing this to make money. That means that your rent is calculated to be high enough to carry the mortgage, insurance, and maintenance costs, plus a little extra for safety margin and positive cash flow.

That's why I maintain that including the rent in your calculation is crucial to correctly gauging the "returns" from buying a home.

Of course, if you live in a rent-controlled situation or your landlord is especially generous or foolish, or doesn't have a mortgage to carry, things may be different.