Thursday, February 19, 2009

What is a speculator?

Obama's foreclosure prevention plan prominently says it provides "no aid for speculators." However, it defines speculators simply as people who do not live in the home. Everyone who buys a home is a speculator on some level, even if they live in it.

I think the intent is to protect homeowners, perhaps we should define homeownership as the degree to which people speculated with their own money versus borrowed money. If you bought a home with 100% financing you weren't a homeowner at the time of purchase even if you lived in the property. Unfortunately, the current plan provides more relief to the 100% financing speculator than a homebuyer who made a similar purchase with a down payment.

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