Why Did House Prices Fall?

Why did house prices fall? This is the fundamental question to most Americans, and to those who lent them money. Most homeowners did not care why residential real estate prices rose; they assumed prices always rose, and they should simply enjoy their good fortune. It was not until prices began to fall that people were left searching for answers. This book examines the causes of the breathtaking rise in prices and the catastrophic fall that ensued to answer the question on every homeowner’s mind: “Why did house prices fall?

What are some of the things will you learn in this book?

The Great Housing Bubble is an exhaustive analysis of the issues related to this dark chapter in American history. Even though the decline is nowhere near over in 2008, already the Great
Housing Bubble witnessed the largest decline in house prices since the
Great Depression. Below is a sample of the types of questions this book answers.
 

Why did house prices go up so much so fast?

With lenders quickly increasing the amounts they were willing to lend, borrowers were able to increase their bids and drive prices skyward. (The Credit Bubble, p. 54)

 

Why did people borrow so much money?

People borrowed so much because they could, and since prices were going up so fast, most wanted to. Lenders made huge sums available to almost anyone with a pulse on payment schedules they could afford—temporarily. (Negative Amortization Mortgages, p. 13; Stated Income Loans, p. 16)

 

How crazy were the lenders?

Everyone thought house prices would go up forever, so few thought there was any risk of loss. (What is a Bubble, p. 1; The Fallacy of Financial Innovation, p. 26)

 

Why did we have a credit crunch?

People stopped paying back their loans, so lenders stopped lending money. (The Credit Crunch, p. 93)

Why did we have so many foreclosures?

People stopped making payments because they borrowed too much money and they could not afford to pay it back. (Types of Loans, p. 11; The Bubble Bursts, p. 87)

How does the secondary mortgage market work?

The activity in the secondary mortgage market provided the air that inflated the housing bubble. (Structured Finance, p. 57)

 

Why is real estate cyclical, and what are the stages of the cycle?

Real estate prices rise and fall due to market psychology and credit availability. (Visualizing the Bubble, p.67; Psychological Stages of a Bubble, p. 111)

Are most home buyers speculators?  

Many homebuyers in volatile real estate markets are motivated by profit. This motivation causes a great deal of property speculation. (Trading Houses, p. 104)

 

How did the bubble change people’s lives?

The housing bubble made and lost fortunes for its many participants. Those that lost faced both economic and personal problems. (Economic Problems, p. 173; Personal Problems, p. 175)

 

How do we stop future housing bubbles?

It is possible to prevent future housing bubbles. It requires a combination of market reform and government intervention. (Preventing the Next Housing Bubble, p. 173)

 

Joe in Austin has this to say:

I loved reading this book and learning about the financial impact of
this whole mess that we’re in right now.

 

Gale in Nashville has this to say:

I had no idea my neighbors and the lenders were so crazy. The bubble wasn’t too
bad here, so I really didn’t understand what all the fuss was about
until I read this book. Wow! I can’t believe what was going on.

 

Do you own your house? How did the housing bubble impact you?

Almost 70% of American households own their houses. Even those who do not plan to buy or sell are impacted by the housing bubble. Everyone who owns a house saw a dramatic change in their net worth as house prices rose then fell. Some people refinanced and increased their mortgage balances to obtain the “free money” accumulating in their homes. Some people stopped saving for retirement and other purposes and became completely dependant upon their houses for their financial future. Every owner of real estate was impacted by the bubble.

 

How much value is your house going to lose?

The most pressing concern of most homeowners is how much is the resale price of their property going to decline before prices stabilize. (Future House Prices, p. 130)

 

Why did your house lose value?

Many people are very interested in why house prices went down at all. (The Housing Bubble, p. 71)

 

Do you understand the terms of your mortgage?

Many people who took out mortgages during the bubble did not use conventional, 30-year fixed-rate financing. Many of these borrowers utilized new, innovative loan programs that very few understand. (Conservative House Financing, p. 8)

 

Why did the economy suffer so much?

The deflation of the housing bubble brought down the entire economy and nearly caused the collapse of our entire financial system. (Doomsday Scenario, p. 159; Lingering Problems, p. 161)

 

 

LC in Irvine has this to say:

Lawrence Roberts has his finger on the pulse of the housing bubble—the bursting forehead vein, I should say!

 

Alan in Toledo has this to say:

You are one of the best that I have seen at breaking down the complicated and confusing Mortgage and Real Estate Industry so that novices like me can understand.

 

                        

 

What every seller needs to know about the housing bubble?

The tactics sellers must use to sell a home have changed radically since the market topped and prices began to fall. Those nimble sellers who are able to make the proper adjustments will sell their houses. Those that cling to old methods and wishing prices will fail to sell their homes and lose much more money.

 

What do you have to do to sell your house?

What is the number 1 thing a seller must do to sell their property in a declining market? (Buying and Selling During a Decline, p. 163)

 

What if you owe more than your house is worth?

Many people have loans balances greater than the resale value of their property. What are their options? (Selling for Less, p. 164)

 

Is the government really trying to save the housing market?

Government policy during the housing bubble was not intended to save the housing market; it was intended to save the banks. Home owners are kept in a state of denial and indentured servitude to their lending overlords. (Bailouts and False Hopes, p. 122)

 

 

Kurt in San Clemente has this to say:

I was not able to sell my house, and I was getting very frustrated. When I read this book I realized what I really needed to do. The truth helped me overcome my denial, and I sold my house in three weeks—once I did what was necessary.

 

Josue in Sacramento has this to say:

My house was on the market for months with no offers. I paid for professional staging, and I even bought one of those crazy St. Joseph statues and buried it in the yard. Nothing. Once I read this book, I realized why the house was not selling. I didn’t want to follow the author’s advice, but it was the only way to sell my home.

 

 

Are you thinking about buying a house?

Many people will be active buyers despite the declining home prices. If you are considering buying during this time, there are many things you will need to know to make sure you do not become one of the casualties of the housing bubble.

 

How much are houses really worth?

Do you know how to evaluate the fundamental value of a piece of real state? If you do not, you will probably over pay. Many people think comparative sales prices indicate value, but this incorrect. (The Fundamental Valuation of Houses, p. 29)

 

Do you understand complicated loan programs?

Many people think they have a grasp of how these exotic new loan programs work. Most people do not, and nobody should really be using them. (Conservative House Financing, p. 8)

 

How do you negotiate during a price decline?

Most buyers fail to take advantage of the powerful negotiating position they have during a price decline. There are specific techniques one can use to pay the lowest possible price. (Buying and Selling During a Decline, p. 163)

 

Ben in Seattle has this to say:

The detailed investigative work and deep market analysis is very insightful and thought provoking.

 

Jaysen in Irvine has this to say:

I feel I have been given a first-rate eduction in real estate analysis and
valuation from this book. I have continued to rent insted of purchase
real estate in Irvine due, in large part, to date presented in this
book.

 

 

Are you buying a house as an investment?

Many people view residential real estate as a good investment, particularly during the real estate bubble. Historically, it has not been. The Great Housing Bubble tells the truth about residential real estate—the truth your realtor does not want you to know.

 

How do you make money in real estate?

Making money in real estate is about building equity. Most people believe you simply buy and equity appears by magic. It does not work that way. What exactly is equity? And how do you build it? (Equity Components, p. 19)

 

Why do most speculators lose money?

Most people who speculate in financial markets lose money. Why is that? (Speculation versus Investment, p. 99)

 

Are houses really a good investment?

Residential real estate has historically underperformed most other asset classes. The period of the Great Housing Bubble was a notable exception to the rule. (Renting versus Owning, p. 46)

 

What is the investment value of real estate?

There is an investment value to real estate. How is it calculated? What is it really worth? (Investment Value, p. 37)
 

 

Janet in Irvine has this to say:

I thought I knew real estate before I read the book. I was wrong. This book opened my eyes to the truth about our real estate cycle. I was thinking of buying an investment property because prices had dropped. It wasn’t until I read this book that I realized I was speculating and not investing. I almost made a very big mistake.

 

Brian in Malibu has this to say:

This helped me avoid buying at the peak and losing hundreds of thousands of
dollars. It saved me a great deal of grief and money. Even now, with
California housing prices down over 30%, declining prices could still
quickly consume your downpayment and put you “under water”, unable to
sell your house for more than the loan value.

An excellent read, and an important one.

 

 

 

What are you risking if you do not buy this book?

This book can save you from financial ruin and all the personal hardships that entails. Many people lost their wealth, their homes, their credit and their good health during The Great Housing Bubble because they did not have the information presented in this book. You do not want to be one of them. It is that important.

 

Extreme financial hardship

Residential real estate is generally an extremely leveraged financial asset. A 20% decline in house prices can completely wipe out your downpayment or any accumulated equity in a property. Buying at the wrong time and paying too much can have devastating financial consequences for you.

 

Foreclosure/ short sale

Many people who overborrow and overpay end up losing the property in a foreclosure or short-sale. Being forced to move out of your home is never a pleasant experience.

 

Bankruptcy / bad credit

With the foreclosure or short-sale often comes a personal bankruptcy. If you manage to avoid bankruptcy, your credit will still be damanged for years.

 

Stress and health problems

Seeing hundreds of thousands of dollars of your net worth evaporate, losing your home, and and being forced into bankruptcy is a very stressful set of circumstances. Many people who go through this experience experience major health problems.

 

Can you afford to risk this?

Do you want to risk these problems? Are you willing to face these dangers without knowing what you can do to protect yourself? Your hard earned money, your credit, and your health are far too valuable to put at risk.

 

You need to buy this book to prepare you for the dangers out there.

 

 

                        

 

 

What is in this book?

 

The answers you have been looking for!

 

This book has the answers to all your questions about the housing bubble. It is an easy-to-read resource with detailed explanations of all the issues related to this national debacle. It is more than just a popular book, it is a scholarly reference library with an extensive bibliography of relevant research papers, books and other resources. The end notes contain more detailed information on related issues with references to the scholarly literature.

 

For a complete look at the table of contents, please click here.

 

 

How can you get this fantastic resource?

There are many ways you can obtain this valuable information.

 

Free Sneak Peak

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Download your Free Sneak Peak here.

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