Home is not an investment?

[afox]

Very interesting wgrdle, I really am impressed with your commanding knowledge of the subject. Maybe you can sell your secret sauce to wanna be RE investors on the side...

[ilsy]

Try Birmingham, Cleveland, Detroit, rural Nebraska, etc.  They were once places that had a really bright future, too. 

I just got busy for a couple of weeks and came to find out that rural Nebraska had a really bright future. When was that and in what part of rural Nebraska?

[maizefolk]

Try Birmingham, Cleveland, Detroit, rural Nebraska, etc.  They were once places that had a really bright future, too. 

I just got busy for a couple of weeks and came to find out that rural Nebraska had a really bright future. When was that and in what part of rural Nebraska?

While I'm not dougeles, the case I'm aware of is immediately prior to the dustbowl and the Nebraska panhandle, respectively.

Huge numbers of folks moving in from the east coast (including from big cities) to buy up and plow up shortgrass prairie. Population of that part of the state is still lower today than it was in 1930.

[ilsy]

A sprinkler system, fertilizer, and an air compressor are all totally unnecessary when owning a home.  I certainly don't need to use any of them . . . but I've landscaped our yard with plants that are adapted to the natural conditions of our yard.  If you're trying to grow stuff that doesn't belong in your climate and don't want to keep wasting time/money, you should probably stop.

You are funny, very funny.

[dougules]

Try Birmingham, Cleveland, Detroit, rural Nebraska, etc.  They were once places that had a really bright future, too. 

I just got busy for a couple of weeks and came to find out that rural Nebraska had a really bright future. When was that and in what part of rural Nebraska?

While I'm not dougeles, the case I'm aware of is immediately prior to the dustbowl and the Nebraska panhandle, respectively.

Huge numbers of folks moving in from the east coast (including from big cities) to buy up and plow up shortgrass prairie. Population of that part of the state is still lower today than it was in 1930.

Ditto.  In the late 1800s and early 1900s people moved in to take advantage of new farm land and new railroad access.  Without knowing about the upcoming dustbowl or loss of rural population to automation it would have looked like a very rosy future of a free new family farm that would produce wheat you could sell. 

[ilsy]

Try Birmingham, Cleveland, Detroit, rural Nebraska, etc.  They were once places that had a really bright future, too. 

I just got busy for a couple of weeks and came to find out that rural Nebraska had a really bright future. When was that and in what part of rural Nebraska?

While I'm not dougeles, the case I'm aware of is immediately prior to the dustbowl and the Nebraska panhandle, respectively.

Huge numbers of folks moving in from the east coast (including from big cities) to buy up and plow up shortgrass prairie. Population of that part of the state is still lower today than it was in 1930.

Ditto.  In the late 1800s and early 1900s people moved in to take advantage of new farm land and new railroad access.  Without knowing about the upcoming dustbowl or loss of rural population to automation it would have looked like a very rosy future of a free new family farm that would produce wheat you could sell.

Well, good to know. For some reason I thought it should be something more recent.

[aasdfadsf]

aadsf seems to be confusing rental RE with primary residences when he says "houses generate income". as far as ive been concerned this whole thread is about primary residences. Rental RE truly is an investment or maybe even more like a small business and deserves its own thread. This thread is about primary residences.

The same economics apply to both. Any house you live in can be rented to someone else, and vice versa. Real estate is real estate. You actually have significantly lower costs when you live in it yourself.

[aasdfadsf]

A quick search for ‘Invest in Gold’ will result in millions of sites. 

Well, who could argue with that!

[dougules]

aadsf seems to be confusing rental RE with primary residences when he says "houses generate income". as far as ive been concerned this whole thread is about primary residences. Rental RE truly is an investment or maybe even more like a small business and deserves its own thread. This thread is about primary residences.

The same economics apply to both. Any house you live in can be rented to someone else, and vice versa. Real estate is real estate. You actually have significantly lower costs when you live in it yourself.

Not exactly.  For one your return is cash; for the other your return is having a roof over your head.  That makes the economics pretty different.  Yes you can rent out your primary residence or move into your rental property.  That just means it's a change in status.