Whenever you subtract inventory and reduce the housing stock you get the adverse effects you'd expect.  

I've also seen people who squirrel money away and then lose it in the stock market or some other investment like strips or something . 

They had there place and time, were handy as heck at the time, unfortunately the old books and "programs" seem to keep going like the living dead even when the content has become completely outdated. 

It's only 3.5% down + closing costs and reserves.Work your day job, mow lawns, leaf cleanup, shovel snow, flip furniture, pick up night shifts waiting tables/bartending, stock shelves at home depot overnight if you hate talking to people or anything else.

I've gotten a few bites and some apps but mostly dead beats with evictions and bad rental history. 

Is it dead?

I'm not sure if these high tech salaries will continue, some of them get compensated via RSU (Restricted Stock Units) My suggestions were to house hack (if they're still renting) or within a 2 to 3 hour drive.

But one argument in favor of refi is that you can get cash at a low interest rate to invest in stocks or other assets.

No real strategy, just wasn't good at the stock market so I tried real estate.

Additionally, absorption reached a four-year high in the latter half of 2023 (93.3 MW), pushing vacancy rates down to a four-year low of just 2.5%.Market Share and Preleasing: Hillsboro’s data center stock now represents 5.1% of the total primary market inventory.