I'll buy another "affordable" place. The home I'm living in now which I paid NZD400,000 for is now worth NZD1.2 million. However, there are homes in the Hawkes Bay vineyard region of NZ going for a very affordable NZD500,000 eg
http://www.realestate.co.nz/2340475
When I first arrived in NZ I chose Auckland because it has the best broadband speeds and infrastructure. Nowadays the regions have caught up in all areas so I no longer have to remain tethered to a city.
If I sell my Auckland residence and move to the Hawkes Bay, that's NZD700,000 in the bank which I can invest in low risk 5- 7% returns which is another $35,000 to $50,000 per year of income.
My usual rule applies and that is to never touch the principal.
Had I rented from the onset none of these opportunities would be there for taking. Ignore the article. It's a load of bull and does not reflect reality. Life is not a dollars and cents equation. There is a significant human element in all financial decisions.