Im planning to pull around 20k out of the stock market, but thats slightly wishful thinking.

Thank you Matthew, it seems things are shaping up just as you predicted.

Stock are traded in nano seconds where real estate transactions take many months from handshake to reported data.  

That's whatever rate of return you could comfortably get if you invested your down payment in something else (stocks, bonds, a business, a private loan, etc).Vacancy?  

Some sources (namely dupre and scott) predict potential oversupply in the rental market in 2018-2019 for skc and pierce, but a variety of factors could prove that wrong.

The biggest problem with most people's plans is they move too quickly, are too eager, do not have enough money, do not do intensive enough research, do not have enough understanding, and place too much stock in gurus (such as out of state mentors).Your construction background can be a big help.

I know many folks who have free and clear autos, stocks, retirement funds etc that in many cases offsets the negative equity in their underwater house.

But if I could accurately predict the out come of court actions, I'd be very very wealthy.It would also make a big difference if the note holders accepted this along the lines of a short sale....but I understand that not all are agreeing.

Jon,You we are on the same page here.I was researching the history of the stock market & at any other time in history these institutions would have been ousted.So many other institutions throughout history that seemed to be permanent and there failing incomprehensible no longer even exist.

I couldn't have predicted the HOA would change.