Do you reckon I'd qualify for a mortgage with my <$30,000/year income and my zero credit history? If you do, I might actually look into it

Could it be that it doesn't just cost what you pay in rent each month?

Do u reckon every landlord is renting out their houses for a loss??? You get that that's what you're implying, right? Like obviously my landlord is better equipped to handle a big expense all at once, but that's because the cost is amortized across many many months of my rent payments.