In today’s world, most of us tend to look at our homes as our main investment, or the source of our retirement income, which is a far cry from how people viewed home-ownership just a few short decades ago.

In fact, I’ve heard estimates that 70% of Americans’ net worth is derived from their homes’ equity, but is that really the only reason to own a home?

I recently read a very interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, which outlined one homeowner’s recount of his homes and it struck a chord with me.  By his account, he derived far more than simple equity from owning his own home, and he hit on some points that I think many of us overlook in our quest for ‘wealth.

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