Ah yes the old accusation of doomsaying. Where is it written that all things said must be only about success, property upwards forever, crashes never happen, the economic Gods will never let the system fail ra ra bloody ra.
Maybe people just need a dose of reality from time to time and someone to challenge their narrow thinking funneled into a pipe by equally narrow minded others who think anything not smelling positive is blasphemy.
There aren't too many around here willing to peek under the covers and pull out a few scary subjects. From the reaction one gets from the bleachers is it any wonder.
I think, and I am generalising, that people who come to this forum are trying to just simply do more than "just the average".
I started investing in property originally as I saw it as a simple, fairly stable asset class to invest in for the long term.
I came to this forum as I wanted to learn and get ideas/opinions etc from others who also wanted to get ahead.
It has been a great source of information, inspiration and motivation at times.
You keep talking about people needing a "dose of reality".
But the emotion attached to property purchases cannot be ignored as a HUGE factor.
Property is not just an investor driven market, the bulk of transactions are made by people just wanting a roof over thier heads for themselves and family, shelter is a basic need after all.
economic data, trends... etcetera probably play less of a part in the "health" of the australian property markets than you give them credit for.
It's always seemed alot more simple than that to me, my simple opinion only obviously.
To get ahead, you have to give it a go, give it a crack, take a punt on something that makes sense to you.
The simplicity of residential real estate investment makes sense to me, it's a tangible, real asset that gives shelter and over the long term appreciats in value and rent return.
I am not against you or anyone having an opinion in opposition to my own at all, I just think a bit of positive reinforcement from like minded investors is more important than heeding the warnings of one individuals opinion that's it all going to go to poo.