[quote=temeculaguy]
Mea Culpa ZK, it was not my best work.
[/quote]
Kudos for recognizing and admitting. I do remember a whole lot of good work.

[quote=temeculaguy]
I did find what was once on the cutting edge of economics had become a much different place
[/quote]
The forum is obviously dominated by non-real estate topics. But Rich steadily keeps us in the know on real estate trends on the main page. In my opinion he is still, about 15 years after his data and analysis first helped me make good real estate decisions, the best and most unbiased source for such information. And the forum, while dominated by other topics, is still a place where you can ask real-estate questions and get some input from some pretty smart and knowledgeable people.

Not long after Rich started the forum, it had already started to take a turn away from real estate. There was also already some strife between posters. Rich asked me if I thought the forum was something he should keep (or maybe he just asked if I thought he should keep the “off topic” section; I don’t remember). Maybe he foresaw then what it has become now; he was hesitant to keep it. I don’t think he’s a fan of drama. I said that I thought he should keep it and, even if I knew then what I know now, I’d still have said yes. It’s a pretty interesting place that, in my opinion, is several notches above most internet forums as far as the level of conversation (a low bar, to be sure, but, still…several notches). Also, the forum is its own community. Which is kind of cool, if you ask me. (Even if it is complete with the drama and strife you find in basically any community.) Also, I think that knowing a little about the person who’s giving real estate advice helps you evaluate that advice, and this forum helps you know them.

Is the forum perfect? No. Would it be better if it was a bit less dominated by non-real estate stuff? Probably. Would it be less dominated by non-real estate stuff if there was another bubble like the last one and all but the tiniest number of the pundits were clueless about it? Almost certainly.

[quote=temeculaguy]

It is possible that real estate is accurately priced, there is no large scale conspiracy like there was in 06…
[/quote]

There doesn’t have to be a conspiracy for real estate to be inaccurately priced. There’s a cycle, and prices fairly steadily move back and forth between undervalued and overvalued.

[quote=temeculaguy]

However looking at the rent to purchase ratio, it still seems off to me in some places and renting looks better especially for young couples in the twenties whose careers have just begun and may take some twists, turns and location changes in the next few years.
[/quote]

I could easily be wrong, but I think the consensus is that compared to the mean (by any number of metrics), housing prices are a bit high (but nothing like the bubble of last decade), leaving the question to be, “how will they revert to the mean?” Of course that could be anything between a sudden drop (unlikely) and prices that continue to rise, but at a slower rate than inflation. Although there’s always a chance that there could be an even further disparity from the mean before reverting (which also seems unlikely at this point, although not as unlikely as a sudden drop, in my not-necessarily-all-that-informed opinion).
[quote=temeculaguy]

However that was not an idiotic quote.

[/quote]
For now, I’ll agree to disagree with you on that. I wanted to get this posted before I go to bed. But I have some thoughts on that, and I look forward to debating with you about it (if you’re into that sort of thing).