Summary: Leverage is an important tool, especially in real estate investing. It's perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic from other asset classes (paper assets - stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. and alternative assets - oil and gas, art, agriculture). That is, leverage is a common practice in today's real estate world. Without it, we wouldn't have near the quality nor quantity of homes, apartments, high rise office buildings, warehouses, or retail stores as we do today.
