by B » Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:49 pm
There's a problem with the logic that a lot of the used house saleschicks use, especially as I see it on RCG, Seattle Times/PI, and other booster sites.
It's either explicitly or implicitly thrown out there that housing is a fabulous investment in any climate, there is never a bad time not to buy, etc etc. This is all understood and the motivations for it are obvious.
I especially liked the "Interest only is great because you can use the cash you're saving to invest!" argument.
The disturbing question I always have is, "if housing is so great, what are you investing in that is a better asset than housing? Why not more housing?"
The real meat of the question I want to ask, though, is this. If realtors/mortgage salesmen have an angle on the most amazing asset class that only goes up, why do they share this knowledge with the public? Also, are they levereging themselves to the hilt to buy any and all properties that come on the market? To read their "licensed invesment advice", it would seem like a no brainer.
So why do they not follow their own advice and all retire as billionaires?