What’s so bad about prices declining? Most people here are either for it or expect it even if they lose some equity. Those avidly against it we tend to drive away, so I am just posing the question: so what if prices fall 50%? They went up 2-300% or more in some places. Even if realistic circumstances could sustain that why wouldn’t we want prices to fall?
Equity isn’t wealth until the house is sold, and that requires someone with MORE money who can afford your house.
In theory buyers, banks, and investors should be fine no matter how low prices go, but skyrocketing defaults leave buyers and lenders facing the consequences of poor business, deception, and outright lying. That’s rough, but if I placed my life savings on red 7 and lost, should the government have to give me my money back?
People are against prices falling because of the sense of entitlement derived from abnormal appreciation. I think people felt like they deserved to be millionaires when their 3br 2ba 1500sq ft house went from $400,000 to $1,000,000 in value, as if they earned it. They didn’t do anything!!
I think “the everyone wants to live here” claim is a cop out. Even the best cities have bad parts where people with money won’t live. SoCal, from SD to Santa Barabara is a great place to live, but there are plenty of equally nice places across the US, and other countries. International money will do a little, but as soon at the values drop they’ll bow out too.
Outside the dollar eqauling the peso, or incomes doubling next year, I can’t think of anything that will sustain these prices.
The past bubbles have overcorrected, and I hope this one does too. After a few years of correction, as suggested we think, it will be a positive. Those who foreclose, may actually be able to afford a house again, and those who are priced out or weren’t foolish enough to get into an overpriced market may too.
In the end, all this will be is a more painful way to have gotten to the historical average increase in prices. The result is people will be able to afford houses with a fixed loan. Now that’s just crazy!
