Yep, owning gives you a lot more control over your living situation. I do think the financial case is really overrated, especially if you get hit with some expensive repairs, but that's not what I like about owning a house. A lot of people, including myself, have had some really nasty scrambles when a lease didn't get renewed like they were expecting and suddenly had to move in a hurry. That can really suck, especially if it happens at a bad time like with a new kid or sick relative.

Owning also lets you invest in your space a lot more, and I'm not really talking about fancy remodels that cost tens of thousands. More like smaller projects like adding a nice catio, buying workout equipment that fits your space, or setting up a nice home office in a dedicated room. My partner and I held off on all sorts of purchases and projects like that while we were renting because each would have been a huge hassle to move, and might not have fit in the next place we lived. The costs are manageable for a long term improvement, but I wouldn't want to toss one out in a year. Now that we own a house we have have gone ahead with a lot of those additions and they make our living situation much more pleasant.