[RebelBanker]

Just spoke to the CFO.

His first thought was to leave this sort of thing to the experts - amateurs almost invariably get burned in highly complex markets because the pros understand the game much better. Even if you believe that the pros do not have and use inside information, their knowledge of the market and ability to watch it more closely give them an enormous competitive advantage.

Second thought - who would invest in 'long' positions? He and I figured that anyone who wants to bet on the real estate market gaining would buy into REITs or real estate mutual funds if they were not willing or able to purchase properties outright.

Bottom line - go to Atlantic City or Vegas if you want to gamble. The shows are better and you have a better chance of controlling your losses.

[ThinkDifferent]

Second thought - who would invest in 'long' positions? He and I figured that anyone who wants to bet on the real estate market gaining would buy into REITs or real estate mutual funds if they were not willing or able to purchase properties outright.

Shouldn't it be self-correcting? Suppose it starts out like you say: more investors want short positions than long. Wouldn't that drive down the price to the point where it become a good deal to investors who would otherwise have bought REITs?

(Disclaimer: I know very little about the specifics of options or futures trading. I'm coming at this from basic economic theory. Feel free to tell me I have no idea what I'm talking about).

[azhenfud]

Many thanks, RB.
TTYL