Me: PE companies buying up homes is going to end in disaster, I'm just not sure what the trigger will be.
Money Stuff: Hey all those guys buying houses are starting to issue loans, but unlike banks they're basically unregulated.
Me: Annnnnnd there it is.
Letting PE firms buy homes is inviting disaster because financial firms are surprisingly fragile even when well regulated, which PE firms are most certainly NOT, but pair this with what amounts to firing up the clock on a guaranteed "out of nowhere" crash and that's your next 2008 right there.

The nightmare scenario here is these clowns go all in on hog anus futures or some other "can't miss" bet that even a five year old would tell you will miss, and lose such a staggering amount of cash they have to start selling off assets.

Imagine 1% of your city's housing stock going on the market for like 5% of its value.

Which of course assumes somebody isn't already committing fraud by keeping those overpriced rentals off their books. Not a bet I would take tbh.
@Dseitz related/similar dynamic — Fulton county in Georgia sells its property tax liens in a weird way. I heard this article this morning. https://www.wabe.org/how-we-reported-on-fulton-countys-tax-auctions/
How we reported on Fulton County's tax auctions - WABE

Fulton County Fulton County’s Tax Commissioner’s practice of selling liens to investors has received significant scrutiny. In the past two decades, journalists have examined several different consequences of the system. […]

WABE

@KLB

Interesting. Thank you!

@Dseitz I mean yes, the meltdown would be bad for homeowners, but anyone who doesn't own a home would be in great shape, and PE firms would...well, probably get a huge bailout, let's be honest.

@jkfecke

Bailing out a PE firm seems unlikely. Leaving aside how politically unpopular it would be, if an insurer or a bank tanks, there can be serious problems (see SVB having literal payrolls on its books) A PE firm is basically just a casino with better odds and a much higher buy in and most of its assets can be sold to cover its debts.

The problem comes with the timing of that sale, to who, and the effects on the wider market for homeowners.

@Dseitz Yup. I would definitely not want to have to sell my home in that market. As for a PE bailout, I'm just a pessimist at heart.

@jkfecke

My slightly lesser concerns is these clowns try to grow their way out of every stupid mistake by buying things that are steadily profitable and just thoroughly squeezing them. Part of the problem in the newspaper industry right now is Alden Global Capital, which keeps buying papers even as it keeps fucking up.

@Dseitz I think a glut of homes at fire sale prices would be good for lots of folks? I mean, doesn’t help me the homeowner, but I literally don’t care about that (my home is for shelter, not for wealth).

Anyway, building a lot more homes all over, and a land value tax, would discourage this kinda thing.

@jeffbyrnes

It'd be good for me too. Honestly my concern would be more with people who were house-poor or close to it, or with a house as their sole investment, getting screwed over the long term. While I have no desire to pay exorbitant home prices, I also don't want people to lose their homes. And you're 100% right, we need more housing and a land value tax, bare minimum.

@jeffbyrnes That's the other thing with these PE firms, these clowns are hoarding new housing, especially in areas like the Sun Belt.