Down years for crude oil were great in Houston if you weren't in the industry or looking to sell your home. You could typically successfully challenge your appraisal value for property taxes, as property values/comps there were more strongly correlated to what the price of oil was doing than the housing market nationally.
Edited to add - also, great value on repossessed used trucks within about a year after crude went through one of its peak-to-trough phases.
Edited to add - also, great value on repossessed used trucks within about a year after crude went through one of its peak-to-trough phases.