Friday, April 16, 2010

Home Equity Declines and With it Social Mobility?

http://seekingalpha.com/article/199135-housing-and-the-end-of-upward-mobility-in-the-u-s?source=article_sb_picks

Charles Hugh Smith argues that the "orgy of speculation" has eroded the primary source of wealth inheritance among the middle class. Here are key points in his argument:

"The orgy of speculation, leverage and debt incentivized by the credit/housing bubble of 2000-2006 has, in the aftermath of the bubble's bursting, destroyed most of the nation's middle-class wealth."...

That leaves about $1 trillion--a mere 1.85% of the nation's total net worth-- of equity in the 51 million homes with mortgages.

"...That is staggering conclusion, for it suggests that the bottom 80% of the nation's households which own a home have virtually no inheritable wealth left in their homes. And without that equity, what foundation of wealth is left? Their 7% share of the nation's financial wealth? That is 7% of $45 trillion, or $3 trillion, including all stocks, bonds and securities in IRAs, 401K retirement funds, savings and other accounts.."

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