I too am addicted to the blog and heading for the poorhouse!
AN – you mentioned something that was a factor I considered when I decided to put the most $$$ down I could when buying my new house (about 40%). I was thinking long term, and wanted the option of keeping the house as an investment even if I no longer wished to use it as my primary residence. By keeping the monthly obligation low, you are much more likely to be able to rent the property out and cover your entire PITI payment – in other words, have your tenants pay for your house. I consider this type of real estate investment safe and profitable over the long term…unlike the speculative, short term flipping we’ve seen so much of over the past couple of years.
