If you stop and think about it, it was the housing market collapse that pulled these large financial institutions down over the last several weeks.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac owned or guaranteed one-half of the $12 Trillion mortgage market. Lehman Brothers had over $60 Billion in mortgage related assets on its books.
This has all led to a credit bubble burst in the shadow of the housing “bubble”. So what happens if credit tightens even more because money isn’t available to the financial system? Simply put, we may see house prices fall even further in most parts of the country because those who want to buy won't be able to.
If the housing market doesn’t stabilize, then the financial market won't either. Are we talking a year or two from now? There is strong evidence that the worst hasn’t even happened yet – particularly in states like California and Florida. You can expect to see banks taking back and unloading a lot of inventory over the next twelve months or more.
In the meantime, focus your real estate investing in markets that have strong economic fundamentals to maximize your short and long term appreciation and overall return on investment.
