I tend to think that "investment" idea was a marketing sham as well. Housing to me is, well, shelter. Buy it and pay it off. It's not an "investment" or a bank account.
To me it is an investment despite the market, and it has done pretty well for my portfolio.. On two of my properties the rent is almost double the mortgage.
And I agree, these are not ATM machines like many have done in the past... Can't believe I am starting to hear the ads again, refi you house, payoff you debt and refi some more when you debt gets back up again...
