Real Estate Outlook 2007: The Great American Iced Lemonade!

Did anyone out there ever coined the phraseworkers earn income sufficient enough so that
‘The New Era Of American Socialism' yet?they can go to the bank, get a loan and go
Well alright, that is unfair. After all Real Estate wasshopping for real estate. Thus, it is going to take
sliding downwards even before the Democratsequally long for demand to jump and prices to
took over the House and Senate, and Nancyincrease as well. This is so because demand is in
Pelosi became the Speaker to be. However, it candirect function of underlying personal income. An
be safely stated that the recent mid-termincrease in personal income will encourage
elections have not exactly shed a ray of hope oninvestment to a higher degree, which, in turn, will
the already faltering housing prices. So now, in lightspur demand causing a proximate levitation of
of the entirely new and revolutionary politicalprices and subsequent economic expansion.A
landscape in Capitol Hill, what are mundane folkssecond but equally important flip side is how
like you and I supposed to do?Sure, the socialforeign investors and debt-holding nations are
agenda of the Democratic Party in general, andgoing to view this sudden shift to the left of the
the personal ‘socialist' agenda ofAmerican behemoth, and whether emerging
Congresswoman and Speaker of the Houseeconomies such as India and China will continue to
Nancy Pelosi (D-Cal.) in particular take somehowfinance America's spending habits. Confidence in
the breeze out of the investment world, both asthe U.S. Treasury is out of the question, but how
it relates to Real Estate and the Stock Market.convenient is it going to be for foreigners to
But when it comes to Real Estate, however,continue investing in an America tilted definitely to
there are some positive notes worththe left?Many economists have long been
mentioning.Housing supply is produced using land,expecting America's widening current account
labour, and various inputs such as electricity anddeficit to cause a financial meltdown in the Dollar,
building materials. The quantity of new supply isand the main reason as to why this has not
determined by the cost of these inputs, the pricehappened yet is that emerging economies have
of the existing stock of houses, and thebeen happy to finance the deficit. In 2005 India,
technology of production. Essentially, theChina, South Korea and Japan (not an emerging
production of real estate output depends on theeconomy but a very important debt-holder
accumulation of capital, which requires a constantnonetheless) ran a combined current account
supply of labour force that can conserve and addsurplus of about USD 2 trillions, a large chunk of
value to inputs and capital assets, thus creating awhich was reinvested in American Treasury
higher value.The rationale behind this is that laboursecurities. It is all to be seen, however, whether
adds value by satisfying demand throughthe Asian Tigers will continue to find the
production, since when people work and acquireconvenience in investing their foreign cash
income they tend to invest it, and the morereserves in American securities or if instead they
people that work and acquire income the moreare going to withdraw their support of the
people that tend to invest it. Therefore, there is aAmerican capitalistic system, especially if such
correlation between capital and employment insystem will be perceived increasingly as shifting
real estate or, if you will, between income andmuch too much to the left.Buy purchasing Dollar
labour. An increase in levels of consumption setsassets the Asian economies and Japan are
forth an increase in prices caused by asubsidizing American consumers, encouraging too
corresponding increase in demand, in itselflittle saving on our part and too much spending.
generated by a commensurate increase in theBut should they decide not to buy anymore and in
income-employment factor.It follows, therefore,fact to cash in, the American economy is likely to
that growth is derived by the equilibrium of capitalsuffer a real hard landing. This is the reason why
and investment with labour and employment. Andit is important to monitor and understand how
since, furthermore, production is in direct functiondevelopments in the world economies affect the
of consumer-spending which increases asbalance between domestic demand and supply.
unemployment falls, it follows that capitalExchange rate movements tell something about
accumulation increases as employment rises andeconomic developments that may be having a
capital accumulation decreases as employmentdirect impact on aggregate demand.By monitoring
falls.Therefore, seen from this perspective, thethe fluctuations of the Dollar in the forthcoming
Democratic agenda of both increasing minimummonths it will be possible, therefore, to anticipate
wages and put people at work through morewhether the Central Bank will ease or tighten
direct governmental intervention than themonetary policy by stimulating the economy
Republicans otherwise would like to see, finds inthrough lower interest rates or by reducing the
fact its long-term benefits in Real Estate. It is astimulus through higher interest rates. And,
statement of fact that, in retrospective, manytherefore, it will be possible to predict the impact
workers in North America have missed out andthat anticipated shifts in interest rates will have on
are missing out on the rewards of globalization, sodemand for domestic real capital assets. Clearly, in
trumpeted about by both the present Chairmanthe eventuality that demand for U.S. Treasury
of the Federal Reserve System, Prof. Bernanke,bonds will abate, the Federal Reserve will have no
as well as the former Chairman, ‘Maestro'other choice under the present circumstances but
Alan Greenspan.Rich countries have democraticto raise interest rates, so as to continue to
governments, so continued support for theattract foreign capitals and thus contributing to a
globalization process will depend in large part onfurther slowdown in the domestic housing
how prosperous the average worker feels. Yet inmarkets.Should a forced rate increase actually
the United States real wages have been flat ortake place in 2007 to maintain the momentum
even falling these past few years while, at thewith foreign debt-holders, that would really fly in
same time, capitalists and large corporations havethe face of all those analysts and commentators
never had it so good. In America specifically,who have assumed that a vote for the
profits as a share of GDP are at an all-time highDemocrats would contribute to a rate
of about 15.5 percent, and Corporate America hassettling.Certainly we are entering into a period of
increased its share of national income from sevenfinancial uncertainty, all the more remarked by
percent in 2001 to thirteen percent this year.Inwhat promises to be an economic - if not political
fact the primary culprit and cause of the- stalemate between a conservative White House
slowdown in Real Estate is the ratio betweenand a liberal Congress. And should this stalemate
wages and real estate market values. This ratio istranslate into higher interest rates, the soft landing
entirely skewed to values. Whereas marketthat Chairman Bernanke was mentioning only this
values in metropolitan areas have appreciated anpast July may very well become in 2007 a
average of fifteen percent per year through 2005distant, wishful dream.Luigi FrascatiLuigi Frascati is
inclusive - or a total of seventy-five percent sincea Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British
2000 - salaries have increased an average fourColumbia. He holds a Bachelor Degree in
percent per annum - or twenty percent total.Economics and maintains a weblog entitled the
There is, therefore, a fifty-five percent gap,Real Estate Chronicle where you can find the full
which accounts for the problem buyers are facingcollection of his articles on Real Estate Economics
today when it comes to go to the bank andand Finance. Luigi is associated with the Sutton
qualifying for a loan. In this sense, therefore, aGroup, the largest real estate organization in
redistribution of income from capital to labour isCanada, and is based with Sutton-Centre Realty in
now due.The flip side of the Democratic agenda,Burnaby, BC.Luigi is very proud to be an
however, is that it is going to take a long time forEzineArticles Platinum Expert Author. Your rating
government economic intervention to get aat the footer of this Article is very much
foothold in the economy, in order to makeappreciated. Thank you.