I hated renting...if I could have afforded it, I would have gladly bought a house.

Very good question, no right or wrong answer

Better to buy if you can afford it

As a single person, buying a home not only will improve your credit standing; but if you should have (or want) to move across country for a job, you can always use it as rental property.

Also, most mortgages will make you look at rents in an area and chuckle.

In the long term buying is best but is not always financially possible

It is always better to buy a home than rent, if you can afford a mortgage

That depends on your situation. Generally it's never a bad time to start creating positive equity but that takes a lot of planning and knowledge. It also takes a lot of work at the beginning and end to buy and sell.

The sooner you can buy the better houses aren't getting cheaper. If your single rent a room out to help with payments until you are married.

Doesn't it depend on how long you're going to be there?

Depends on your source of incom, experiences and future planning

Rent is better.