I live in NH, where everything is very spread out, little to no transportation, and having a vehicle is a necessity.I was making around 25K a year, (with overtime), I didn't have any credit and somehow I was able to finance a 20K car- mind you this was 2006 before the crash. 

Yea, things are a little different post crash.

Told the kid to crash at a friends and got the locksmith to let him in yesterday.

@Chris Clothier   I would like to add my perspective as one of the larger HML in the mid west prior to the crash..

After 20minutes attention and retention rates crash.

buying my 4th house in 2009 (post crash) after buying 3 in 2005 (pre crash).  

For those outside of the Bay Area, a $600k improvement budget is fairly modest in this area.Current market rental price is approximately $6k (source Craigslist)2015 Appraisal received today $3.2MMKeep in mind that this takes into account any appreciation slow down that hit the property during the "crash".Was buying a $1.1MM house in 2002 scary? 

:)  just think of all those that bought into the market at 15k rode it down to 6k panicked and went to cash.Or how the RE market crashed in the same time period and investors and banks did the same thing... rode it down and sold at the bottom... sometimes though factors out of the investors control asseverated the crash..

I got stung real bad during the housing crash and I am still hurting.

Way before the market crashed.