Whoever said running a blog was easy? The legal department alone takes up valuable floor space in the bunker. The IT guys are a pain in the ass floating by with their damn long boards and iPhones. The research dweebs are forever correcting me. And the photo editors are so constantly snorted I don’t even ask anymore.

But, man, the correspondence unit kills me. Every hour a fresh load of blog emails is delivered by vacuum tube to my garret. Check this out, just in (and these are all genuine):

Regarding your house porn blog, I recall a new home buyer at a new condo show home in Burnaby asking one of the sales reps if they are doing 5% down for new buyer. My thought at the time – what’s a new home buyer with 5% down doing buying a $450K to $500K 1,000 sq ft unit? Sounded and looked so wrong. I’m not sure what that young guy was thinking but I wanted to ask, why are you here unsupervised? Young people do feel a sense of entitlement and what I see as a “de-sensitivity” (or whatever you want to call it) to being in debt. Foreclosure and bankruptcy? No problem! It’s in vogue now. It is not limited to young people either, but also to couples with kids (in the late 30s to 40s range) who are living the house rich cash poor lifestyle. It’s extremely sad when you have a great big nice house but you can’t afford to furnish it, eat out, treat yourself, etc…! How is that a good way to live?

I was unaware there’s still life in Burnaby. — Garth

I’m a big fan of your blog and of your opinions. I must nevertheless point out that your statement, ‘You’ll be able to buy houses and write the womenfolk into the offer’  is not politically correct and kind of slimy. It is below the high standards that I, and many others I am sure, have come to expect from you.

You should have seen that line before the Social Decorum Dept. got hold of it. More hinky than slimy. An achievement at my age. — Garth

I’ve been through all your books except the latest (next payday), and though I’m convinced of your ideas, I get a “braino” when I think about applying it to my situation.  Then I get snow, sort of like a tv without cable. I’m a 57 year old working woman (shouldn’t we be a minority by now) with no debt, no house and around $180,000 in various GIC’s, rsps and stock.  Needless to say, this is not enough money to live on in my dotage. I’d be lying if I said my job is secure, after two downsizings, I’m not secure about much anymore.  Haven’t had a raise in years yet my rent continues up 4% every year.  I live in Vancouver which has the prices of New York without any of the good stuff .  I see that Kamsack, Sask. has cheap real estate if nothing else. I don’t know what to do, I’m trying to avoid living in a shopping cart.  Where do you think I should go for direction?

You should go to me. There’s always hope, and it sounds like your investment profile is a mess. Let’s get it cleaned up and doubled by the time you’re 65, when we can add in the CPP and at least give you a living income. Hell, in Kamsack, you’d be a goddess. — Garth

My friends and I enjoyed the blog you posted the day I wrote you.  Happy to say my house closed last week and that I am completely debt free.  I wiped out all credit card, loc and small personal debt.  My cash flow position has improved approx 4k a month and have never been happier and more relaxed in my life.  I am now off to Europe. Once again thx.

All in a day’s work on this blog. Saving Canada, one indebted dude at a time. — Garth

My husband and I have battling it out over buying a property in Florida.  I’m from the school of buy low sell high.  I don’t see how things can go any lower when we are talking only $50,00 US for a brand new 3 bedroom townhouse in a gated community with gym, pool and tennis court.  I did my research and found a city on the Atlantic side that has good employment and a College.  As a former landlord in Toronto I don’t mind renting to students.  The College will hopefully guarantee a steady supply of renters.  So if history repeats itself then why should we not buy now at the low, rent it out full time and hold it for about 10 years?  I can sell it later to one of your baby boomers who will be streaming out of the GTA suburbs.  They will be happy to pay me twice as much maybe more for my 3 bedroom townhouse. Or I can keep it and use it myself since I can retire with a full pension in 10 years.  And if history repeats itself the US dollar will be back to around $1.25 Canadian.  Where can you invest now that you will get that kind of return?  I bought in 1994 when no one was buying because of the fear of Quebec separating.  I paid $110,000 for a 3 bedroom semi.  I sold in 2007 when everyone was buying for over $500,000.  My hubby sees all the doom and gloom on the news about the US economy.  He sees potential problems with tenants (I have a property management company in place) and the time and expense of one of us having to run down to the US at the drop of a hat.  I see dollar signs.  Right Garth?

I’ve said it clearly a few times: Sell Canada, buy America. Our market’s vastly overvalued and theirs is in deflationary distress. Can it go lower? Yes it can. Could it take 5-7 years for the American real estate market to regain momentum? You bet. But when it does, lots of Florida real estate will easily double. So long as you know the pitfalls I have pointed out, take your new husband and acquire. — Garth

My husband and I follow your blog and are interested in your opinion on foreclosed properties. We are working professionals in our late 30´s/early forty´s and have been renting in Vancouver after many failed attempts to enter the real estate market.  We have one child and a second on the way and after years of being crammed into a one bedroom apartment to get ahead (or rather not get so behind) while finishing graduate school and getting through one maternity leave, we have long outgrown our apartment. Our question relates to your ´Rent or Own´ post, as we sound like we are in a similar position to this family. If the couple were to buy a house with a mortgage helper, would this not make it a better option than renting? The prices are plummeting in the North Shore (we saw one property drop $240,000) and there are record numbers of listing, so we still are holding out a glimmer of hope that we will be able to buy, otherwise we will continue to rent or relocate to a third world country!

Like Manitoba? Seriously, the North Shore is toxic right now. Prices are crumbling in a process that has just begun. So what if a property has dropped $240,000 when it’s on the way to a $400,000 correction? Vancouver is ground zero. North Van is going down. Rent a townhouse for two years, then vultch. Far better than having a creature in the basement. — Garth

Did you live in Coquitlam around 1995-1996? Ever go to a bar called Boone County wearing your cowboy boots? This is going to sound crazy, but I think we met and had an unusual encounter. Of course, if you didn’t live in BC and go to Boone County then I am sure it wasn’t you and apologize for wasting your time.

However, if it indeed was you that night then I am writing as I promised I would. I don’t know if you remember me but if you do I hope to hear from you. I would also enjoy hearing your version of the discussion that night. It really was quite unusual.

Warmest regards, Dianne

ps.. I really enjoy your blog

OK, blog’s over. And where the hell are my boots?