What's worse is that many all too many people now believe that the real estate bust was the result of an unbridled free market run amok when in fact it was the result of the inherent moral hazard of simultaneously encouraging the "ownership society" through a Federal Reserve policy of artificially low interest rates and government bailouts, quasi-government corporations backing loans, and other tinkering to prop up an otherwise slumping market.

What could a Realtor such as me do to help change the perception?

Maybe there is a subtle play toward the owner's perception of the property.

I guess on the internet a service would also be considered a product from the marketer's perception.

We tend to judge a book by it's cover, we judge success by perception of a person.

Very hard to have positive cash flow in CA on a sfr, unless you buy it with large down payments.As far as the repairs/maintenance factors mentioned by Ovetta, I disagree with the negative perception.

Is our society following capitalism?

Another interesting perception is that apartment rental prices will drop, because soon many more SFH rentals are going to be on the market, for the same rates that apartments are charging now.

But, since I don't think a depression will happen and our society is not about to break down, I am still buying properties not disposing of them and keeping my cash securely in banks and brokerages.Anyone chanting the end of our financial system is near while still holding an asset like real estate or stocks is just blowing smoke.

Go ahead and yell again but that's where our credit laced society is heading.