The current dynamics between property 'Bulls' and 'Bears' is...

The current dynamics between property 'Bulls' and 'Bears' is becoming quite fascinating.

The property market in Australia is dividing people's opinions more than it ever has before, and everyone from seasoned investors to Mum & Dad novices has an opinion.

These are some of the common character traits that seem to be exhibited by the 'Bears' and 'Bulls':

Bears - Sometimes referred to as 'doom and gloomers'. They believe house prices are falling and will continue to fall into the near future. You could also include people who think house prices will hold steady - by virtue of inflation. Most of the Bears around currently are people that I'd generally consider quite intelligent and well-informed. Actually, many of them were previously 'Bulls' who have gone a little bearish for the time being. Many of the property Bears seem to have a more balanced view on the economy, world events, and housing than Bulls do - and I certainly wouldn't class their views as extreme by a long shot. Almost all of the seriously wealthy people who I know currently fit into the Bear category, and these people have largely built their wealth through business ownership, commercial property investment and general common-sense.

Bulls - They believe house prices are rising and will continue to rise indefinitely. In fact some of the Bulls, in order to be taken seriously, do begrudgingly acknowledge that house prices have actually fallen, but they are quick to assure everyone that these price falls are simply a brief consolidation in the market before the next big leg up. Almost anyone who is a Bull right now is someone who is holding multiple properties - without doubt. Property Bulls display an unmatched level of confidence and optimism toward the property market. They maintain the steadfast belief that they are on the track to life-changing wealth through buying residential investment properties, and lots of them. They measure their success largely by the number of properties they acquire. They rely on a blind faith of almost religious proportions that owning rental houses will somehow serve them well into the future. Behind closed doors some of them are probably nervous and many of them possibly regret their decision to ever buy an investment property. However, on the outside they will smile through gritted teeth and continue to tell the world that they are on the right path to achieving 'financial freedom'. Property Bulls tend to become easily agitated and aggressive when questioned on their views - far more so than their more level-headed Bear counterparts. In my real-life dealings with property Bulls, many of them tend to be quite naive by nature and financially unsophisticated. Almost all Bulls are PAYG employees.

Feel free to elaborate or share other common traits that property Bulls and Bears tend to exhibit.