[quote=davelj][quote=CA renter] Who in their right mind wouldn’t take that offer? [/quote]
So tell us your story. I’m assuming you feel that you’re in your “right mind,” so tell us about how you took advantage of this giveaway. Enquiring minds want to know.[/quote]
No, I’m not a RE investor, and never really wanted to be one (my family was in RE, so have seen what a pain it can be).
Still, we did benefit from the bubble because we sold our (primary) house into the strength and rented, effectively shorting the housing market. We also shorted homebuilders, banks/ lenders, certain retailers, etc. Believe it or not, I’m very risk-averse, so have no desire to get into flipping houses or chasing bubbles. I do short them, however. 🙂
I’m not talking so much about myself as I’m talking about the general population out there. We saw many, many people who gave up useful jobs so they could speculate in real estate during the bubble years. It was amazing to watch what some people were willing to do.