Its anyone's guess this point in the Covid crisis where the market will be, but I figure if I can buy a place at 10% below market, then I have some buffer.

The price of playing it safe is too dear.I'm a living testament of someone who jumped off the cliff in the midst of the Global Financial Crisis and is now living the American Dream.

So, I agree that you should not focus on the negative.A bit off topic: Personally, I believe many agents are suffering from an indentity crisis.

@Anna Ahhee , your plan to enable people with poor credit to buy homes was already tried - the result was the credit crisis, mortgage default and foreclosure crisis of which we are still recovering.As result of above, we have Dodd Frank Act, SAFE Act, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, result of which is that people without good credit can not obtain home loans.Here is the lowdown.

But I just don't think we're going to have a major real estate crash like the last crisis. 

You have neighborhood associations, affordable housing groups, public officials, developers and land owners grappling over who has the right solution for the housing crisis and growing homeless population. 

A very high cost of doing business in California, over regulation, excessive environmental regulations, ridiculous fees for every imagainable thing, the economy of the country, the housing crisis, etc.

Back in the last financial crisis, people had their HELOCs terminated and had the unused portions frozen.

I just joined this forum because I'm in need of a "tribe" who  has wisdom and experience to offer. This is mine and my partners second investment rental property. We sold a condo and bought a brand new townhouse in De...

The same process took place during the S&L crisis back in the 80's.