Henry Blodget has an interesting interview with Yale Professor Robert Shiller on the housing crisis. Watch the video here. Highlights are below:
From Yahoo! Finance:
Home price declines are already approaching those in the Great Depression, when they plunged 30% during the 1930s. With prices already down almost 20%, it's not a stretch to think we might exceed that drop this time around.
There are about 10 million homeowners whose debt is higher than their home value, which has broad implications for how Americans feel about their wealth and spending habits (read: more pressure on consumer spending).
The current hopeful consensus—that house prices will bottom soon and then begin to recover—is most likely a dream. Housing markets don't usually have "V-shaped" recoveries. And even if house prices stabilize in nominal terms, after adjusting for inflation, most homeowners will continue to lose money.
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David Oxhandler of FL 11:46AM September 06, 2008