[Boomer]

That price range, mentioned here by ouma1938, is interesting. A few days ago I had a conversation with a banker, nothing official. I was just chatting him up. It's what I do sometimes. I chat up bankers when I run into them. I know. It's weird. Anyway, I asked him if he was seeing investor interest in the single family homes market. He told me that there has been a small interest in single family homes that are not in the really high price range but are in decent neighborhoods.

I was asking the question because I cannot help but wonder where people who still have decent jobs but who sadly stepped flat-footed into this mess, for whatever reason, are going to find nice places to rent. And while they are renting, the market will surely start to get better and the investment in the single family rental would increase in value.

I have to stop myself when I start thinking like this. My real estate instinct for some reason has worked OK. But I have never been in it as an investor. Started with the first house long ago for $25,000 and here we are, 7 houses later, in a single-story house perfect for us empty nester boomers.

As soon as that cap gains tax law got oh so friendly, I started thinking about doing the downsize to capture keeping the change. I think about this stuff. Mr. Boomer swears I am thinking about selling whatever house when we are moving into it. He still likes me though.

But now that we are in our little geezer ranch that we really like and plan to keep, I have started thinking about where all those decent :edit: over people are going to rent when they do not have their houses anymore.

And I keep trying to talk myself down from this one. I know it's the thrill of the chase for me. And I do not need to even be thinking this way. But I have never seen such a market as this one. There are some nice homes out there. And there are some nice renters who need them. But I keep asking myself, "What's wrong with this picture?"

I know the standard advice against single-family rentals. And I know about the headaches associated with all rentals. But I keep thinking there is a timing in this. I normally like paper investments, but maybe it's time to get one that I can see and touch.

I can't help but think that this market is changing all the rules. But I also can't help but think that I just need to get over this. It is not the time of my life to start being somebody's landlord. Even if they are really nice renters. With jobs. But I just cannot help but think about it.

And I think I am putting all this stuff out there hoping that somebody in TOTVland will come in here and say that my thinking about the single-family rental market is pure lunacy and then that somebody will explain why and then that somebody will tell this old racehorse to just get herself right back in the barn.

Methinks me thinks too much.

Boomer