U.s. And Global Economy

The mortgage crisis of 2007 marked catastrophe for millions of homeowners who suffered from foreclosure and short sales. Most of the problems involving the foreclosing of families’ homes could boil down to risky borrowing and lending. Lenders were pushed to ensure families would be eligible for a loan, when in previous years the same families would have been deemed too high-risk to obtain any kind of loan. With the increase in high-risk families obtaining loans, there was a huge increase in home buyers and subsequently a rapid increase in home prices. As a result, prices peaked and then began falling just as fast as they rose. Soon after families began to default on their mortgages forcing them either into foreclosure or short sales. Who was to blame for the risky lending and borrowing that caused the mortgage meltdown? Many might blame the company Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but in reality the entire system of buying and selling and free market failed home owners and the housing economy.

The main cause of the mortgage crisis is the changes in policy for the mortgage industry. In the past, a fixed mortgage was the prime form of lending. All mortgages have the same payments for the mortgage duration and a large down payment was essential. The calculation of the mortgage was based on the initial amount borrowed, and house assessment rather than the rising value of the income and the house over the years.

The Great Recession of 2007-2009 was one of the most economically disastrous events in American history. The housing market took a significant downturn during this period. People were not cautious when it came to their money and loans. Larger loans were given out to people, even to those with bad credit and low incomes. These large loans caused many homes to go through foreclosure since people were unable to pay off their mortgage debts. These debts were created by banks increasing the interest rates on the loans significantly in a short period. In 2008, foreclosures were up by eighty-two percent. This increase is significant because the previous percentage of foreclosures was at fifty-one percent from 2007. Unemployment skyrocketed, and people

The bursting of the housing bubble, known more colloquially as the 2008 mortgage crisis, was preceded by a series of ill-fated circumstances that culminated in what has been considered to be the worst financial downfall since the Great Depression. After experiencing a near-unprecedented increase in housing prices from January 2002 until mid-2006, a phenomenon that was steadily fed by unregulated mortgage practices, the market steadily declined and the prior housing boom subsided as well. When housing prices dropped to about 25 percent below the peak level achieved in 2006 toward the close of 2008, liquidity and capital disappeared from the market.

The financial crisis from2007 to 2008 is considered the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1920s and destroyed the U.S. economy severely. It led the housing prices fell 31.8%, the unemployment rate rose a peak of 10% in the United States. Especially the subprime market, began defaulting on their mortgage. Housing industry had collapsed. This crisis was not an accident, it caused by varies of factors. The unregulated securitization system, the US government deregulation, poor monetary policies, the irresponsibility of 3 rating agencies, the massed shadow banking system and so on. From my view, the unregulated private label mortgages securitization is the main contribute factor which led the global financial crisis in 2008.

In 2008, the world experienced a tremendous financial crisis which rooted from the U.S housing market; moreover, it is considered by many economists as one of the worst recession since the Great Depression in 1930s. After posing a huge effect on the U.S economy, the financial crisis expanded to Europe and the rest of the world. It brought governments down, ruined economies, crumble financial corporations and impoverish individual lives. For example, the financial crisis has resulted in the collapse of massive financial institutions such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Lehman Brother and AIG. These collapses not only influence own countries but also international area. Hence, the intervention of governments by changing and

The U.S. economy is currently experiencing its worst crisis since the Great Depression. The crisis started in the home mortgage market, especially the market for so-called “subprime” mortgages, and is now spreading beyond subprime to prime mortgages, commercial real estate, corporate junk bonds, and other forms of debt. Total losses of U.S. banks could reach as high as one-third of the total bank capital. The crisis has led to a sharp reduction in bank lending, which in turn is causing a severe recession in the U.S. economy.

The Great Recession of 2008-9 was the deepest and longest capitalist economic slump since the Great Depression of 1929-32. The recent financial crisis is known as the “Great Recession” of 2008-9. Its downturn was sparked by the collapse of the US housing market. In 2006, the prices of home began to rise and the banks began to encourage potential homebuyers to take out larger loans. There were lower interest rates at the time, and this seemed like a good idea for most individuals who were searching for a new home. Then, in mid-2007, the interest rates began to rise. The values of the homes decreased and the amount of money a house was worth declined significantly. Many homeowners were stuck with large loans, increasingly high interest rates, and a decreased price of their home. Many homeowners went into foreclosure or were evicted. This eventually led to large financial institutions and banks to become bankrupt, which lead to an overall fall in the US economy. Stocks dropped, consumer spending declined significantly, and companies began to go out of business (Athanasiu, 43).

In 2008, many mortgage dealers issued mortgages with terms that were not in favor of the borrowers. Some of these dealers offered low interest rates but soon doubled and skyrocketed into higher rates in later years. The loaners would then sell these loans to banks such as the Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. When the housing bubble burst though, many mortgage holders defaulted their loans and led to an economic crisis. Homeowners had a past due payment and couldn’t pay their payments. Many people who owned homes at this time had no backup plans, meaning they had to drop everything, losing thousands of economic growth. This was known as a crisis in confidence, when giant companies to individual investors don’t trust one another.

Previously stated, the federal funds rate was cut to as low as 1% during the early 2000’s. Not only did this turn investors away from investing in treasury bonds, but it also cheapened the cost of borrowing money for banks. This spurred action on behalf of financial institutions to offer investments connected to the continually increasing, and seemingly risk-free, housing market. Due to a combination of greed and ignorance on behalf of financial institutions and credit rating agencies, the proverbial housing bubble increased until it finally reached its peak in 2006, and then began to burst at the end of that year and on into 2007. What exacerbated the decline to such a high degree was the strong connectivity of the financial institutions through their complex transactions that related to mortgages. The main factors that were involved in the impending crash were the increased offering of subprime mortgage loans and collateralized debt obligations, or CDOs. Critically analyzing the effects of these products will aid in the conversation of financial institutions role in sparking The Great Recession.

One of the Major causes of the economic crash of 2008 was a lending problem, called the Subprime Mortgage Crisis.

When the banks increased the mortgages of borrowers with Adjustable Rate Mortgages, they couldn’t afford to pay the mortgage and began defaulting. People started selling their houses. The increase in supply of the houses drove the market price down and people found themselves paying mortgage larger than the actual value of the property; as a result, more people started defaulting (“The 2008 Financial Crisis”).

During the mid-1990s, the US economy had maintained stable growth, low unemployment, and low inflation; it was the longest undisrupted growth period post- the Vietnam War, the Dot.com Boom, and the stock market crash of 1987. Therefore, many politicians, economists, and consumers were under the assumption that the economy was very stable. But in reality this growth period was a façade because it was built on mortgage-backed securities. Ultimately, since fragility does not change, mortgage-backed securities was one the main catalysts for the 2008 financial crisis, a crisis that is still affecting the country today. Throughout this paper, I hope to inform you about the causes and effects of mortgage-backed serecurties.

In 2007, the housing bubble burst, the main contributor was due to the correction of the Fed Fund interest rates. When interest rates began to increase the home sales decreased, the housing price crashed- meaning that the value of the homes spiral to all time low. The mortgages on millions of homes became worth more that home itself, this cause many homeowners to default of payments and foreclosure roused at an alarming rate. With the massive defaults devastating the markets it undermined Wall Street’s financial instruments and forced some of the countries’ largest corporations into a tail spent of chaos. The mortgage crisis was officially formed like a tornado leaving a path of destruction.

The housing market crash, which broke out in the United States in 2007, was caused by high risk subprime mortgages. The subprime mortgage crisis resulted in a sudden reduction in money and credit availability from banks and other lending institutions, which was referred to as a “credit crunch.” The “credit crunch” and its effect spread across the United States and further on to other countries across the world. The “credit crunch” caused a collapse in the housing markets, stock markets and major financial institutions across the globe.