> if I had just kept the little I had... But I'm really just too risk averse
I don't think it's about risk, it's that if you hold stocks or crypto or many other kinds of investment, and your holding is worth $x right now, if you're a believer in the efficient markets hypothesis, you have no real idea whether it's going to go up or indeed down in the future.
I bought a house because it's a place for our family to live, not because I belive it's going to appreciate in value. If you buy ten houses, you need to have information - or sheer belief - that your investment is going to pay off.
I don't think it's about risk, it's that if you hold stocks or crypto or many other kinds of investment, and your holding is worth $x right now, if you're a believer in the efficient markets hypothesis, you have no real idea whether it's going to go up or indeed down in the future.
I bought a house because it's a place for our family to live, not because I belive it's going to appreciate in value. If you buy ten houses, you need to have information - or sheer belief - that your investment is going to pay off.