Buying a home can serve all of the following purposes EXCEPT:

Buying a home can indeed serve multiple purposes, but the option of short-term rental income is not typically the primary reason people purchase a residential property for personal use.

When individuals buy a home, they often look at it as an investment that can appreciate over time (the investment aspect) and may be motivated by the pride of ownership, which is the emotional satisfaction that comes from owning a property. Additionally, homes are frequently viewed as a hedge against inflation, as property values and rents tend to increase alongside inflation, making homeownership a way to preserve purchasing power.

On the other hand, while it's possible for homeowners to rent out their property to earn income, this is not generally considered a fundamental purpose of buying a home for personal use. Most people buy homes primarily for their own living arrangements rather than as a source of short-term rental income, which is more typical of investment properties specifically acquired for that purpose.