Two years ago, my best friend and I had a falling out. We stopped speaking because I refused to get recruited into her new MLM company (a mortage operation) whose motto was “Make your house work for you. Take out your equity and invest.”

I had a couple of homes already, both with large equity. I wouldn’t do a refi with her to cash out and re-invest. This is partly due to conventional wisdom I got from my father – Pay off your mortgage, have no debts and buy income-producing assets. The other reason was that 2 years ago was a seller’s market and my own wisdom dictacted that one does not buy in a seller’s market.

I’m glad I stood my ground, but it makes me very sad to think how she might be faring now.