Home-Ownership And The Stalled Economy (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Housing is historically one of the great engines of the American economy.  Buying houses, selling houses, building homes.  It got out of control before the great bust.  In some places, the housing market is back like gangbusters now.  But overall, nationally, housing sales slipped significantly last month.  Mortgage rates are creeping back up.  Borrowing is tougher.  But it’s more than that.  Sales are down but prices are up.  Meaning, the affluent can buy, the middle class can’t.  And then there are the young.  This hour On Point:  buying homes, selling homes, and the new dilemmas in American housing. / Tom Ashbrook

Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2014/04/28/home-sales-housing-market-real-estate