Current research by Williams Rogers, associate professor of economics at UMSL, includes the impact homeowner associations have on the housing market and the effects public homeownership programs have on neighborhood development. (Photo by August Jennewein)

As economic conditions improve and interest rates remain low, more people are looking to buy homes, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. But William Rogers, associate professor of economics at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, cautioned that prospective homeowners shouldn’t overestimate the return on investment for owning a house.

“Real estate is not one of the best investments; labor markets are the best deal,” Rogers told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

He further discussed in the article the scenarios that make the most sense for renting and owning.

Rogers is an expert in regional economics, urban economics and public economics. His current research focuses on the impact homeowner associations have on the housing market and the effects public home ownership programs have on neighborhood development.

Visit the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website to read the full article by business reporter Lisa Brown.