thefox was referring to the Bunnings staff talking about negative gearing themselves into an investment property using leverage. In other words, buying an investment property on debt for the sole purpose of making capital gains. That's very different from the average Joe being able to afford their own home.
The point being, when the mass public finally decide to join a trend - that's the best indicator that the trend is near an end. It's also evident in the media & the wider community (eg. The Block 2010, Under the Hammer, Hot Auctions, property investing magazines and seminars etc.)
Just as we saw with so many people being lured into the share market running up to its all-time high (Nov. 2007) we saw the exact same thing running up to the all-time peak in house prices earlier this year. It's all to do with the herding instinct innate within us all (although understanding this is the first vital step to independent financial security).
