Places to invest, other than in stocks...

[JohnL]

True. The market fluctuates depending on the economic health of the place. That’s why I said “at least around here.” The South is real popular right now and it’s a sellers’ market. Then there’s places like Michigan and California where a good amount of people are leaving and it’s a buyers’ market.

I spoke with a realtor a few days ago in eastern TN who told me it's a buyer's market.

Yeah he’s wanting you to be his customer. That’s an old trick of agents needing a sale.

[JohnH]

I spoke with a realtor a few days ago in eastern TN who told me it's a buyer's market.

Yeah he’s wanting you to be his customer. That’s an old trick of agents needing a sale.

No, it isn't. She called me to tell me that the property hadn't sold at its asking price, and she wasn't sure if it would be relisted or not with her, but that it would probably be relisted at a lower price. Then we discussed some other offers they had had that she was at liberty to discus, and that the buyers had backed down on that were far less than asking, but the buyer's investment backing apparently disappeared mid-deal.

The property's listing has since expired and I have not seen it relisted since.

If "agents need a sale", that means it's a buyer's market...

[JohnL]

I spoke with a realtor a few days ago in eastern TN who told me it's a buyer's market.

Yeah he’s wanting you to be his customer. That’s an old trick of agents needing a sale.

No, it isn't. She called me to tell me that the property hadn't sold at its asking price, and she wasn't sure if it would be relisted or not with her, but that it would probably be relisted at a lower price. Then we discussed some other offers they had had that she was at liberty to discus, and that the buyers had backed down on that were far less than asking, but the buyer's investment backing apparently disappeared mid-deal.

The property's listing has since expired and I have not seen it relisted since.

If "agents need a sale", that means it's a buyer's market...

Sounds like one of those hard to sell properties and she’s trying to reel you into buying it. Agents always need a sale. They live from one commission to the next. You know this and I think you’re just in the mood to argue again. Done with it.

[JohnH]

Sounds like one of those hard to sell properties and she’s trying to reel you into buying it. Agents always need a sale. They live from one commission to the next. You know this and I think you’re just in the mood to argue again. Done with it.

I am intimately familiar with the property and the pros and cons of selling it. We discussed things overall, including selling other properties to pay for this one, and how hard or difficult it would be to do. She warned that assumptions that might have been true 6 months ago won't be true now.

Meanwhile, property in California is still absurdly expensive.

[the-real-steve]

What are other places to invest?

This is my take on the matter: years ago, my side hustle was real estate. I did well for it being a side gig. Unfortunately I lost it all in the recession (another story for another day).

I look back and I am convinced I would be way ahead today if I would have put in the stock market, in one way or another. Having rental property can be a huge headache, too. That said, my brother owns storage units and he said it's way easier than residential as the laws are in favor of the landlord, at least in Pennsylvania.