The Wall Street Journal has published two articles by Brett Arends in the past few weeks that make him seem to have a split personality, first cheerleading the housing industry, then suggesting that people are foolish to make house payments.
The first article notes "Enough with the doom and gloom about homeownership. Brett Arends explains why owning a home is a good thing."
The #1 and #2 reasons are that you can get a good deal and mortgages are cheap. Click <here> to see the other 8 reasons, or paste this into your browser.
In the second article, Arends notes "The big question from the mortgage meltdown isn't why so many distressed homeowners are defaulting on their loans. It's why any of them are still making payments. In the worst-hit areas millions have no equity left, and little hope of seeing any anytime soon. The market value of their homes is far below the size of the mortgage. If they just stop paying, what is going to happen to them? In many cases they may get to live in the home rent-free for months, even years, until the bank gets around to seizing it. If Frank Abagnale—the con man played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the film "Catch Me If You Can"—were operating today, he'd probably be living rent-free in a super-luxury high-rise in Miami."
To see the entire article click <here> or paste this into your browser.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704011904575538453320468516.html?mod=djemRealEstate_h
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