So far as I can tell the share market investor might have more capital, but they also have continuing ongoing liabilities. The home owner can clear their mortgage, but the share market investor has to keep paying rent. The share market investor incurs a tax liability if they sell, while the home owner doesn't. The article also mentions that the share market investor's investment was leveraged. I hope they avoided any margin calls in 2008/09, because the leverage would have needed to be very modest to avoid one.
