Hi Hasbeen,
Things were different in 'our days', despite the fact that interest rates were very high proportionate with wages of the day. I feel sorry for the kids today, to invest (as some of them do) in large houses thinking that it is an investment in the future might blow up in their faces, as utility rates might be so high, that they might not be able to sustain those dream houses, I am glad that I was born when I was, we did without a lot, but life was less complicated. People actually spoke to each other, even if they were perfect strangers....Oh Dear! I am sounding like my beautiful Mother, she passed over a few years ago.
Have you been sailing lately?, we do not own a boat at the moment, we just sold our Plymouth Pilot a year or so ago, boohoo, but we lack the agility that we once enjoyed. That's Life I guess.
Cheers Hasbeen,
NSB

Snake, there has long been debate about shares V property.

Shaw, shares are very liquid, however, I find many investors will sell shares when they drop, whereas, they tented to ride the storm out if the value of property drops by the same values.

It's the old saying that you can't sell a bedroom on your house, the one share market advocates often use.

A real modern problem, which I feel is a major concern, is the ease at which home owners can re-draw on their home loan to buy what are essentially nothing items, such as holidays, white goods, plasmas and the like.

IRS not so bad if ones debt to assett ratio is around the 50% mark, but many often max out their equity and, it's when property values fall that that's a worry.