How did everyone end up where there at?

I definately wouldn't say that where I live now is "the place to be", but Uncle Sam said move here for a couple years so I decided to buy even though I knew it would only be for a couple years. After looking at comparable houses in my area I figure for what I'll loose on selling the house, which I expect to only be out realtor fees, I would have spent at least that for storage any way. Plus I have a 3 car garage for working in so that was another benefit that I didn't mind paying for.

For me it all comes down to how long you plan to be there and whether you can get your money back out of it when you sell. If you aren't sure if it's where you want to live, don't throw a bunch of money at it. Just get something that meets your needs for as long as you need it.