What the Crisis Means for You And More Mortgage Trouble

Two stories for you today... One will answer some of the basic questions our friends have been asking us. The other puts you ahead of the curve.

Answering Questions -
Money Magazine and CNN.com have posted together a terrific utilitarian piece called: What this Economy Means for You.

Here's why you care: The piece is broken up into sections that are stand alone capsules so you can click on the areas you are interested in, and ignore the rest. The options are: The Economy, the Stock Market, Your Savings, Insurance, Real Estate Market, Job Market, and Your Retirement. Really a nice job both in the information provided, and in the production - it is just simply easy to use.

Ahead of the Curve -
The next wave? More mortgage trouble. The Wall Street Journal reports today that one in six homeowners - yes one out of a six pack - are underwater with their homes. In other words, they owe the bank more than they can sell their house for.

Here's why you care: The article is so well written for the non-MBA set, our favorite question is answered in the second paragraph: "The result of homeowners being "under water" is more pressure on an economy that is already in a downturn. No longer having equity in their homes makes people feel less rich and thus less inclined to shop at the mall."

You need to read this article.