What constitutes an 'Investor' in this article? If I see a distressed home for sale in my neighborhood and decide to buy it, fix it up, and rent it out; this article seems to put me in the same category as institutional investors who come in and buy or build entire communities of homes.
> If I see a distressed home for sale in my neighborhood and decide to buy it, fix it up, and rent it out Buying something to rent it out is clearly investing. Buying something to fix it and re-sell it is usually also seen as investing. Buying something to use it (live in it) could also be an investment but usually isn't seen as such because it's assumed that you only live in one place.
If it appreciates, cool. I can make more money when I move somewhere else and use that to leverage my next house WHICH I LIVE IN.. If it goes down, bummer, but I can still use that to leverage my next house WHICH I LIVE IN.
I bought the house to live there, not as a financial instrument. The financial thing is secondary.