home ownership

i've really been wondering if owning a home really pays off. lately it doesn't seem like it. between our mortgage payments and all the improvements we've done in the last two years we have coughed up so much stinkin' money it doesn't seem like we'll get it all back. we've been procrastinating on our roof and we finally went and bought shingles monday night. :( it's really making keith and i want to build a house so everything is new and we won't have to do updates and repairs so often. someday, somewhere our dream house will be built.....we just have to find our money tree first.