We've gone through several years where both variables (T-Bills and LIBOR) have been artificially driven lower by never before seen Quantitative Easing and bank-friendly Federal Reserve policy.

If the deal is for $140k all cash (and you get $40k right back), you're probably OK. but any half-wit loan officer the tenant uses will see right through what you did, which is to artificially bump up the market history of the property to influence the appraisal and mortgage size the tenant is applying for.

The answer is because interest rates had been artificially low for several years and when interest rates started to rise the loans adjusted, increasing the mortgage payments, making those payments unaffordable for a large amount of borrowers,  regardless of whether or not they were subprime, granted subprime was a huge part of the problem.  

Remember our current interest rate environment is artificial and potentially unsustainable.  

To paraphrase Wikipedia, "that there are no "true" or "natural" grassroots, but rather "fake" or "artificial" support".  

Very cool to see technology advancing, but I can't help but think about movies like "Terminator" and "I, Robot" when I see artificial intelligence being implemented.

That could be construed as an artificial attempt to get at your gain.

I believe that an artificial appreciation took place initially, but fortunately this was a good thing as consumers took the time to rebuild their credit, they could come back and buy the same homes (only now more renovated) in three to five years.

       @Nicole Sorensen Hull I suspect the actual intent was to hide the taxable gain, by artificially increasing the sales price via an "insider loan" or cash payment which is funneled back to the seller.  

I went to school full-time, worked in medicine (former medic) for 12$ an hour; while attending night-classes.