an – I think are scenarios are vastly different. I didn’t pick the buyer/seller or create my scenario and I didn’t choose the parameters – the facts just are what they are, and the homeowner cashed in what they cashed in. I’m talking facts, not theoretics. I too could come up with countless possible stock market moves where a hypothetical investor could turn dollars into millions if they bought and sold the right stock at the right time, but that doesn’t mean everyone (or anyone) is pulling off such moves. I think the example of the people who you know that cashed out and retired is by far the exception, not the rule. I would guess that the guy who bought the house in 92131 and just sat there has made more “paper” money than the guy who tried to navigate the terrain of tech stock investing. And the real point being that virtually everyone who bought a house back then is way up, and I just don’t think you can say the same thing for most tech stock investors over that span. Sorry, I just have to maintain that your scenario is far-fetched and mine is – well, it’s not really “mine” – it’s just the facts. It is what it is.
And I don’t think real estate investments are better than stocks, despite of real estate’s tremendous performance this century. I like both investments. As far as which will fare better in 10 years, or 15 years, or 20 years – I suppose we’ll see.