Incredibly Depressing

[Brendan O'Brien]

Massachusetts, where I lived from birth until June '06, has the second to worst job growth in the country. There are fewer jobs there than there were at the start of the 2001 recession.

Fundamentals drive real estate investing, just as they drive the stock market. And the key fundamental is: the real estate market follows the job market. There may be short term blips, but that's the way it works.

I am not invested in Mass, thank God. But I am invested in NH, which gets a lot of job growth from our highly taxed neighbor to the south.

So here's two scenarios:

1) You're invested in Mass. When does it make sense to get out (and presumably take your losses?

2) You are a "value" investor looking for deals. When are the deals good enough for you to take them?

Discuss.[/list]