"We bought a spec home in Maricopa as a second home. ... We saved and researched before buying. Now, we have our "little resort" with a beautiful pool, spa and palm trees! Something we don't have in Northern Virginia.We went with the builder's mortgage with no closing costs and 20 percemt down on a 25 yr. mortgage. We knew that our home's market price would drop so we planned for it. A house does not have to be an "investment" -- it should be a home that where you "live" with family, friends and neighbors."