I'm sad to see bob banned because he represented a different, yet still valid and profitable, investing style. And I think his opinion was valuable to new investors because it shows that there is more than one way to buy and hold. And that rules of thumb (1%, 2%, 50%, etc) need to be put into context when evaluating a property.
As for his claims of increasing rent and prices, my anecdotal experience supports all of it. No vacancy. High rent growth (10% annual past 2 years). Great appreciation (15% per year). Sure, the gravy train may slow down at some point. And yes, price decline is possible (~5-10% during the most recent bubble). But long term, I think this is a very profitable way to invest if supported by fundamentals (population growth, etc).
Personally, I'm grateful he was on this forum because when I learned about rules of thumb, my properties did not meet them. I considered selling. Luckily I was cash flowing decently so I paused. But then I met a few other local investors who confirmed bob's points, and they have made millions by holding a few properties long term (and selling or still holding). Since I bought I'm cash flowing very well now, and looking forward to the next turnover so I can choose how much to raise the rent. Another 12-15% will certainly be possible.
My sub market is different than his, but we are on the same islands and I suspect the characteristics of our markets are different than most of America. But certainly there are pockets that are similar, and I would hate for new investors to ignore this investing style in search of pure cash flow markets. I would hate for them to read any of Ali boone's articles and just go buy a turnkey if they live in an expensive area.
Every investor should be educated on different investing style, and decide which to pursue based on their goals.
Yes, there were some confrontational threads with bob and others. Hopefully that is not why he was banned.