Owning a home, even with a mortgage, gives you a shot at entering retirement with stable or falling housing costs once the loan is paid off.Credit: Getty Images Key Takeaways About 30% of households headed by someone age 50 don't own their own home, so buying later in life is far more common than people assume. Owning a home at 50 can lock in housing costs before retirement, but draining retirement savings for a down payment often does more harm than good. If you're 50 and wondering if you've mis ...