Yes, if you value these things that's a reason to buy a house, but it doesn't make it a good financial decision

“Just as well off” implies having equal parts, or I missed something?

Right, whether it's better than renting financially depends on a lot of factors.

There's benefits to renting too, you have to make the right choice for yourself.

Just as well off financially, obviously.

None of this is relevant though. “Not true, you don’t have the same flexibility as a person renting does. You always have to be prepared for significant maintenance, etc. etc.”

The point is that financially we expect that two approaches to be comparable, perhaps with renters paying a bit for that flexibility and shorter term commitment. (That they aren’t over a particular period is fortunate for those that managed to time the market).