Originally posted by Rigel
Greenspans findings concerning real estate, equities, wealth, and spending(which he says is supporting the economy).
Two kinds of wealth
1. Stock wealth
...Major wealth component of top 20% wealthiest people (minority).
2. Home wealth
...Major wealth component of bottom 80% wealthiest people (majority).
Wealth supports spending, spending supports the economy.
People became wealthier between 1990 and 2000 because of increased stock wealth and home wealth.
Even though stock wealth is way down real estate wealth is still high so 80% of society are still spending. Spending hasn't gone down in the last 2 years as far as it went up in the previous 8-10 years because of increased home wealth.
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A large part of the rise in debt in the last few years is in mortgage debt but real estate equity is up more than mortgage debt.
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Greenspan is basically saying that spending is being supported right now by real estate whereas it was being supported by both real estate and equities before.