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For sale: Scenes from a bubble

Wondering how home prices got so high - and why they now have to fall? Here’s the story of what hit you: an amorality play in four acts. Money Magazine reports.

The buyers: The Quams and the too-good-to-be-true mortgage
Stretched by their loan, the newlyweds rented out their second bedroom to pay the bills. (more)

The brokers: Would you get your mortgage from this man?
One broker calls the industry "a disaster," and he'll tell you so on the radio. (more)

The appraisers: Price estimates made to order
A homeowner doubts he can sells his house for what it was appraised for, and now he's stuck there. (more)

The investors: How to get rich trading
Investors have made a fortune trading bonds backed by mortgages. (more)

Robert Shiller called the tech-stock crash just as the Nasdaq peaked. But he is also the expert on the real estate market. And where does he think it's headed now? Uh-oh. (more)
The good news: Rocky real estate markets mean home shoppers finally have the upper hand. (more)
Now more than ever it pays to be a prime borrower - here's how to be that guy. (more)
There's some state-sponsored help on the way for subprime borrowers (more)
Compare cost of living Thinking about moving? See how much you should earn to maintain the same lifestyle. (more)
See the average cost of 16 common projects and how much they can add to the value of your home. (more)
In the market for a new home? Find out how much you're likely to shell out each month. (more)
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