Am I getting the HB fever?

I haven't felt like this in many many years. MANY years. Back then, that first time, there was only one cure for . . . :

HOUSE-BUYING FEVER!

And I fear that may still be the only way to make this itch go away this time. But I don't want to buy a house. I don't. I do not want to buy a house. I do not want to owe someone money for the rest of my life. I was a home owner for a while and even did the fixer-upper thing, and was even a landlord for a while. I really thought I got that out of my system forever.

For a lot of years, I've liked being a renter. I like that, if the HVAC unit goes belly up, all I have to do is call the landlord. I love that, if neighbors from hell move in next door, I'm not anchored to the place where I live and I can get away easily. What if I someday need to move into an assisted living place when I'm older, but before a mortgage is paid off? How would I be able to afford that?

And in the much nearer term, what if I jump up and buy a house and then lose my job?? That's a very real possibility. My employer let 200 people go this year, and 79 more positions are going away as of this Wednesday. If my job gets tagged, not only would I lose the house and all the money I'd have put into it to that point, but my credit would then be shot too, meaning that this is probably my only chance for a very very long time to do it right, IF I'm going to do it at all.

And in the nearest possible term, I like the place I'm renting now. I've been here 5 years. I feel very much at home here, in the house and in the neighborhood. The rent is very reasonable and I make sure I am never ever late with it -- usually early.

On the other hand (as I suddenly find myself thinking), as a renter, I'm subject to places being sold out from under me (which has happened once in a "I knew this was too good to last" situation) and I'm limited as to what I can do with the place.

Prices are so low now that I've found myself trolling the real estate listings and tonight, for the first time, I saw two that actually have me wondering, "maybe... what if...".

Crap. I guess there may not be anything for it except a discreet visit with a banker or a mortgage broker to find out how much I'd qualify for and go from there... if I go at all.

If anyone has a clear-cut answer, I'd love to have one.