We gambled and won.   

It took every penny we had to do that (and I don't suggest that gamble to anyone) but it's paid off royally as the market in Boulder took off 2 months after we closed on our house.  

I know I know gambling right .. 

Appreciation or even speculation of appreciation is like gambling and investors tend of to have personalities that shy away from that. 

I have more confidence in my practice now being that I am immersed in it daily now.

There are many other ways of getting financing without the gamble of possible financial misery of a loved one. -- Good Luck - JonI love that strategy Jon!

Don't get me wrong; there are plenty of issues/problems/quirks that old houses have that new houses don't, and an old house can obviously have hidden problems and big repair/maintenance bills too--which is why thorough due diligence is fundamental to REI...but, the point is: a brand new house is not a foolproof solution to repairs/maintenance headaches (and in some cases, a brand new house can be a much bigger gamble than an older house).This is a particularly important lesson for inexperienced investors, who tend to be the most prone to "shiny object syndrome" (the tendency to let nice aesthetics distract from real, underlying issues).

I wish I had the balls to gamble with it!