ssured　me　about　my　grades。　I　often　wondered　why。 But　we　did　begin　to　argue　about　money。　By　the　time　I　was　16；　I　probably　had　a　far　better　foundation　with　money　than　both　my　mom　and　dad。 I　could　keep　books；　I　listened　to　tax　accountants；　corporate　attorneys；　bankers；　real　estate　brokers；　investors　and　so　forth。 My　dad　talked　to　teachers。

One　day；　my　dad　was　telling　me　why　our　home　was　his　greatest　investment。　A　not…too…pleasant　argument　took　place　when　I　showed　him　why　I　thought　a　house　was　not　a　good　investment。

The　following　diagram　illustrates　the　difference　in　perception　between　my　rich　dad　and　my　poor　dad　when　it　came　to　their　homes。　One　dad　thought　his　house　was　an　asset；　and　the　other　dad　thought　it　was　a　liability。

I　remember　when　I　drew　a　diagram　for　my　dad　showing　him　the　direction　of　cash　flow。 I　also　showed　him　the　ancillary　expenses　that　went　along　with　owning　the　home。　A　bigger　home　meant　bigger　expenses；　and　the　cash　flow　kept　going　out　through　the　expense　column。

Today；　I　am　still　challenged　on　the　idea　of　a　house　not　being　an　asset。　And　1　know　that　for　many　people；　it　is　their　dream　as　well　as　their　largest　investment。　And　owning　your　own　home　is　better　than　nothing。　I　simply　offer　an　alternate　way　of　looking　at　this　popular　dogma。　If　my　wife　and　I　were　to　buy　a　bigger；　more　flashy　house　we　realize　it　would　not　be　an　asset；　it　would　be　a　liability；　since　it　would　take　money　out　of

our　pocket。

So　here　is　the　argument　I　put　forth。　I　really　do　not　expect　most　people　to　agree　with　it　because　a　nice　home　is　an　emotional　thing。 And　when　it　es　to　money；　high　emotions　tend　to　lower　financial　intelligence。 1　know　from　personal　experience　that　money　has　a　way　of　making　every　decision　emotional。

1。　When　it　es　t