REAL Trends The Trusted Source

In the last few years, Americans have experienced the most severehousing-market downturn since the Great Depression. The nationalhomeownership rate during this period has declined from a peak of 69percent in 2004 to 66 percent presently. Unemployment is high, incomegrowth is stagnant and home sales are low. Indeed, in this environment,many have questioned whether the American dream of homeownership has ended.