Just seeking thoughts...During the Housing Boom in order for Ryland to increase the base price of their housing, they worked with outside brokers/realtors and appraisers to over inflate the true value of the home. They would use faux (straw buyers) who appear to be legitimate buyers and then allowed these initial buyers to list the properties 7 to 8 weeks out from construction completion to unsuspecting families and resell the same home at over inflated values from $52K to $150K in back to back closings. This under the table cash was most families cash down payment which was taken from the conspirators in these instances as payoffs while allowing Ryland Homes the justification to increase base pricing of of the homes and homesites still available. This practice was widespread. In essence, the day you walked away from your closing, you were underwater. These actions by industry professionals is what highly contributed to the turmoil in the housing market crash we are experiencing today. Everyone bought into integrity and trust but instead got raped. This business practice has placed families with a double hit to the housing crash. If you were $100K under last year - families who purchased under this tactic were at least twice that under water at the time time period. The sad thing is no one realizes that this was happening or that this did in fact occur. Are you someone who is affected by this practice?