The pre-owned single family home sales market is lagging again this season.  Checking on the subprime lending and adjustable rate market finds many are scrambling to fend off foreclosure by being streched out too far. Consumers with poor credit and flaws put themselves and their banks in position for a failed transaction.

Prices are going up, property values going down, wages seem fixed and the job market is still humming. The burdens placed by local, state and the federal government who continue spending money ineptly is cruel. It's the American fighting spirit that keeps the working stiff upright. We all know that  “real life” inflation is far higher than the 2.1 percent official CPI inflation rate. Politicians are  “cooking” the statistics. Eventually the markets will self-correct, hopefully without great pain.