The amount of money you would pay on a rental unit is likely to be less than mortgage payments would be for a comparably sized home. This is partly due to interest rates right now. Though there are always deals out there, in a down economy, most sellers seek top dollar for their homes. Even the majority of bank-owned homes sold as foreclosures are near market value to cover the thousands of dollars spent in the foreclosure process and the likelihood that the repossession took place while the mortgage balance was at or above its original purchase price.