If the Housing Bubble Bursts, Where Does it Leave Consumers?
What can consumers do to protect themselves if Home Values Drop?
Mission Viejo, CA (PRWEB) September 25, 2006 -- No doubt about it, the housing market has slowed down, the proverbial bubble may not have burst with a 'pop' but even from a distance you can hear the air leaving the bubble.
The National Association of Realtors will report on September 25th a decline in sales of existing homes for the fifth straight month, and two days later on September 27th the Commerce Department will report on new-home sales and prices, which are also expected to register another drop. Overall home sales are expected to fall around 10 percent after five straight years of a booming housing market. Mr. Christopher Snyder, CEO of Spectrum Direct Insurance Services, www.SpectrumDirect.com, wants to answer the big question - what does this mean for homeowners with big mortgages?
While home prices are falling, and demand for new and resale homes dwindle, the 30 Year Mortgage rates fell for the seventh time in eight weeks. 30 Year mortgages hit a four year high of 6.8% on July 20, 2006, and have been sliding ever since to 6.43% this week. This should be good news for homeowners trying to stay in their homes, but many bought their homes expecting to see ever increasing values. Their expectations for a nest egg in their nest appear to be smashed after a housing boom that raised the U.S. median home price by 49% in the last five years. Homeowners got used to refinancing to access some of that housing wealth and now many have the unpleasant experience of being “upside down” in their home. Instead of having growing value and equity over and above their mortgage, upside-down homeowners have a mortgage larger than their home’s value.
Whether homeowners are facing life upside-down or right-side up paying off the mortgage in case of an unplanned death of the main breadwinner is a situation homeowners need to plan for. Mr. Christopher Snyder, CEO of Spectrum Direct, www.SpectrumDirect.com said “The loss of a spouse is a traumatic circumstance, failing to plan for the surviving family members staying in their home would only make this state of affairs even worse. Many homeowners guarantee their home will still be affordable for their families by purchasing term life insurance. The insurance proceeds can be used to pay off the mortgage regardless of the home’s value.”
Mr. Snyder continued “Housing prices are a cyclical event; values go up and down all the time. Having life insurance means that a family will always have a place to call home.” Values may change, but the mortgage will still be due. Life insurance can soften the blow and allow the family to reside in their familiar surroundings.
For additional information on the American Life Direct Affiliate program, please contact Shawn Schaefer or visit www.AmericanLifeDirect.com.
About Spectrum Direct:
Spectrum Direct is a life insurance sales and marketing organization, licensed in all 50 states, whose products are entirely internet-based and designed to enable the purchase and management of policies online.
Contacts:
Shawn Schaefer, Marketing Manager
949-600-7904
www.AmericanLifeDirect.com
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