cyphire,
No apology necessary. The words I used were not things I say to my clients but my interpretation of what they say to me. For the most part they are buying based upon assets not income. Income doesnt earn you the right to live a lifestyle as jobs can vanish. Significant liquid assets conservatively invested earn you that right IMHO.

Many realtors are just plain incompetent but I could probably say that for most fields. I have talked more people out of buying than I can count. The good Realtors tend to have been in the business for more than a couple years and are lving in homes they have owned for a decade or more. They understand RE cycles and didnt get caught up chasing Bigger and Better homes like the newbies that are now getting slaughtered.

BTW, sorry for the confusion re: sdr and SD R. I was first!