A good cause for pause is deciding whether to rent or buy. In the current economy, some people think renting is best because it affords time to save, assess and make a composed decision. But buying also has advantages. Home prices are extremely low. The recession has put pressure on sellers to part with their property. This is opening the market up to attractive deals. But the most important thing is to make the decision based on your personal financial situation. It's the only way to make the right decision.
As so many have said, a return to economic growth depends on working financial markets, and there’s been recent progress in several areas, including with banks, short-term funding, corporate markets, and securitization markets.
The number of so-called problem banks is elevated and likely to keep climbing. However, there’s been some better news from the banking industry. For instance, the Supervisory Capital Assessment Program, also known as stress tests, has provided us with a better handle on the capital buffer the largest banks would need to remain well capitalized and able to lend if the economy performs worse than expected.
Following up on the stress test results, the Federal Reserve Board on Monday announced that the 10 banks required to bolster their capital have submitted plans to meet their requirements. Then on Tuesday, the U.S. Treasury announced that 10 of the largest institutions participating in the capital purchase program had met requirements to repay the government for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds provided to them. I view these developments as signs that the banking system is healing, and rising confidence in the banking system is justified.
Markets for short-term funding also have improved, including the interbank lending markets and commercial paper markets. Spreads between the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) and the overnight index swap rate have declined to levels that are close to precrisis levels.
So there you have it, Buckhead is in the midst of a changing economy. If you plan to move in the near future, work with a trusted professional. It's the only way to move.
