The United States real estate marketplace, despite some improvement relative to winter 2008-09’s abyss, remains in mournful shape. During the ongoing terrible global economic crisis, nervous politicians, fearful central bankers, and enthusiastic real estate business promoters have devoted much effort and creativity in their quest to rescue the real estate arena. How should we characterize their overall performance to date? Despite their numerous at-bats and vigorous swings at the real estate debacle, the financial and political guardians have often struck out and their overall batting average remains low.

Perhaps the real estate scene will become brighter. After all, central bankers and politicians always have upcoming opportunities to step up to the plate. They will keep swinging and whacking at real estate problems. Nevertheless, the still-feeble US real estate world underlines the fragile foundation and structure of the economic revival fabricated by the Federal Reserve (and its overseas central bank teammates) and political crews. Despite some progress, the shattering damage of the international economic disaster that commenced in 2007 has not been substantially fixed. The economic crisis persists and will continue for several more innings. Though the worldwide economic advance that emerged in spring 2009 reflects repairs and is not entirely a house of cards, it’s not entirely built on solid ground. Money printing and deficit spending are not genuine (enduring) cures for economic problems.

The recent slowdown in the overall economic landscape will hinder the US real estate recovery. Therefore American real estate prices will remain relatively weak.

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Still Swamped – US Real Estate (10-11-11)