Julie - thanks for this insight!

Senator Obama's plan is poisonous. He wants the giant egg-heads who let the crisis develop to now manage the crisis? Just what we DON'T need is the government interferring with the forecloseure market. I can't wait to see how government beaurocrats in Washington are going to manage foreclosures in my neighborhood.

Every time Sen Obama offers a plan he seems to also make money available to fund law enforcement. This is crucial. If we keep enacted laws an regulation without the means (money) to make sure people and corporations comply, then it ends up being empty rhetoric.

Wake up folks, if you think that taxes aren't going to increase under either administration you're seriously misinformed. How on earth are we ever going to get out of debt without tax increases? Bush did it. Bush before him did it "read my lips" taxes are going to go up. Except for those in the 1% ask Warren Buffett .

VOTE! I hope that everyone who feels this way will go out and VOTE. We have to stop the madness!

Here we go again! Obama is certainly a Poster Child for "WE NEED THE REPUBLICANS". All he knows is SPEND-SPEND-SPEND! Due to our inability to get the war finished, our economy is in big trouble. The housing issue would not be as big an issue IF we were not already puting out Billions for the COST OF WAR. The Republicans [Bush] has not gotten the job done BUT this does not mean that we should give up on CONSERVATIVE policies and an administration that carries these beliefs forward.

I am shocked that McCain proposes to solve these issues with his magical tax cuts. If tax cuts are the cure for everything, why haven't the Bush tax cuts made us all rich and removed the national debt?

"Sen. Obama’s Stop Fraud Act creates criminal penalties against mortgage professionals guilty of fraud, and increases funding for state and federal enforcement of anti-fraud programs." Do the people on this message board think it is a bad idea to hold the mortgage brokers accountable for arranging fraudulent loans?

Stop crying about the big, bad government and start participating in the process. Lincoln called it a "government of the people, by the people, for the people". Many Obama supporters tend to agree with that statement and acknowledge the effort it will take to make that goal a reality.

One thing everybody here misses is that, tax cuts or tax increases or not, government is already toooo big, has been toooo big, and, if Obama is elected, will get muuuuuch bigger yet. If any of you people would take the time to read the Constitution, you would see that was never the plan for this country. However, judging by the usage of the English language by some of you, you might not be able to understand that simple document.

It's not going to be easy, and it's not going to be fast. It took eight years of a Democrat controlled Congress, with their pork barrel politics to get us in this mess. When you look the other way while corruption is going on, and even participate in it yourself, you are guilty of the corruption, just as if you had participated. Democrats, and their Messiah "Obama" do not have clean hands.

If you all think that you can continue to increase taxes on big business, small business and medium sized business and continue to enjoy any kind of decent income, you are sadly mistaken. Businesses won't be able to stay in business with the kind of tax madness Obama proposes on them. This country runs on commerce, plain and simple. His tax increases will have us in a Socialist state before you can blink your eyes. Then the government will control everything, and all of you have said what a wonderful job they have been doing, so far. NOT!!

Wake up and get a grip. Democrats have only one thing in mind, and that is to get elected, and get POWER. The power they have over you will be your undoing. Mark my words.

How do you think we got into this mess in the first place? We have 8 years of Bush to thank for it. The Democrats have only been in 2 years. As for Sarah Palin, she might have cut taxes in one place for her state but she boosted them in others. Probably to pay for her kids clothes, trips and other personal stuff. She is an excellent example of a Goldbrick (or is that word still used?). As for her being the "most popular governor in the country (ala McCain), where does that leave other better governors?

Michael

The "Bush Tax cuts" resulted in a huge increase in reveune to the federal government. Why we are not all rich and still have a national debt is the result of an even larger increase in government spending. Too much pork was needed to get Dems on board in order to get tax cuts passed. Reducing the size of government is the only way we will ever get out of this tax and spend cylce that has driven the country deep into debt. Now Obama wants to add even more spending. Go figure.

The largest mortgage fraud perpetrated on us was buy Franklin Raines (CEO Fannie Mae) who falsified earnings reports and Chris Dodd (D-CT, Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee) for blocking relgulatory oversight which would have prevented the fraud in the first place. I agree that jail terms for these two would be a good start.

To get back to the original topic of which candidate would be better for the housing market the answer is clearly the candidate who believes in reducing the size of government and who wants to create an environment where businesses, large and small, can grow and prosper. This candidate is John McCain.

Obama is definitely not a good thing for the housing market. I don't understand why he wants to throw money at it like a be all end all cure but then wants to raise capital gains taxes?

Raising capital gains taxes is not a good thing when it comes to real estate sales!

Politically speaking in reply to one of the earlier comments I've read here, McCain vs. Obama in my opinion and actually Obama's until recently he is not ready for the presidency and the more he tries to prove he is ready now, the less I think so. He is fitting into the typical politician shoes very nicely with the fat cat big spending without a plausible way to replenish the funds he proposes to spend, Boy does he like to spread the wealth as long as it doesn't touch his wallet.

In fiscally uncertain times, the dems way of taxing and figuring out a way to spend the money collected is frightening at best. I'm from New Jersey and our "wonderful" Gov. Jon Corzine like others before him but a little more to the extreme promised tax cuts galore, it was a major part of his campaign. Two days after elected and "after he had a chance to review the budget" he realized we were in trouble and needed to tax to raise money so he not only raised taxes he created new ones!!!

On top of that he did not even have a plan in place how to use the funds which would be collected from the collected taxes, he said they would put the money in a bank account and use it as they needed...

He also wants transparency in government and accountability for spending where not a single dollar could be spent unless voted on by the people BUT only after he funded one last huge pet project of his. When that became a top story in the news he retaliated by threatening to close and sell off park land because the state could not afford to keep it up and needs to cut back. Talk about being transparent...

The Obama campaign and plans without details, only generalizations being spoken about which sound good on the surface like, "I'll cut taxes, take money from the rich and redistribute it to the poor" and on and on....

It's all a bunch of pandering baloney and his story and plans change depending on if he's talking to the rich Hollywood crowd or the "rednecks" in Pennsylvania as he calls them. This guy just scares me!

McCain is no "Maverick" either but he isn't a carbon copy of Bush as Obama likes to try and convince everyone. I think reforming campaign finance rules for one is something which should have been done years ago. Obama promised to accept public financing if McCain would and then "Changed his mind" at the last second, why do so many people let lies like that just brush off their shoulders like its nothing, that is a lack of character in my book.

Anyway, although McCain isn't the best answer I think he is a way better solution than Obama and is the lesser of the two evils and may actually accomplish a few good tasks which is all that can really be expected of any president. Said my peace and now I'm outta here...

It is a well known fact that the democrats got us into this economic crises/mess,we are in now.Do the research and you will see.They were the ones who eased all of Frannie and Freddies guide lines.They bragged about getting more people into homes and accomplishing their goals.As a mortgage broker I was able to see first hand how people without prooving income were able to get 100% financing .The Republicans,and MCcain ,tried to stop this behavior,and were constantly being blocked by the Democrats,including Todd,who was making such a big commission,why would he want it to stop?Mccain predicted in 2005 ,that if something was not done to regulate Fannie and Freddy,everything will go bust.The democrats who control congress blocked all attempts.It is interesting that they are now blaming the Republicans,when they are clearly the culprits of all this.

No doubt JMs plan makes sense. BO is asking for a trillion dollars ontop of the bail out which the middle class will have to absorb...and won't be able to.

It's difficult to remain professional or even civil when watching some of the vehemence that is being displayed toward one another. Within every administration there is error because unfortunately, you can't please all of the people all of the time. However, I do not understand how finger-pointing and tearing each other down for one's opinion is beneficial to anyone. We're all entitled to our opinion and if we're supposed to be the gleaming beacon of freedom, then we should respect others' opinions - even if we disagree.

The reality is that we can pick apart something in every President we've ever had and whomever gets into office will also be open for criticism. To think that this one person whether McCain or Obama is going to be the save all, end all would be delusional.

The only reason I read this post was to get some insight into both candidates plans - all of which could change I might remind you, once they're in office.

So, is there anyone who can state the facts without turning this into a religious, moralistic, experience level or religious battle?

AMEN!!............Gamtmrealtor
That's one of best pieces I've ever read! I copied it to an email to circulate on the web.

Beau

Amen, Derek Lee. Finally someone else who hasn't been brainwashed by FOX...

I can't believe all the political rhetoric that's being (mis)quoted by people who just look at one-sided points of view. As a former public relations/advertising professional of 25 years (before real estate) I can tell you that most people will only look at a viewpoint that supports their already in place belief system. For example, someone who is a Toyota fan will only look at ads and read information that supports their belief that Toyota is a well-made car will gloss over anything that runs counter to their belief system.
In addition, anyone who thinks that either candidate will live up to their campaign promises 100% once they are in the White House is living in Fantasyland! When's the last time that happened? Once they're in the White House and having to answer to Congress and special interest groups its a whole different story.
McCain calls for better education systems, mortgage help, etc, etc. and Obama says the same. The county is spending 10 BILLION a day (!) in Iraq. You can't do all this without money. And where does this money come from? Taxes. I don't care what either candidate promises...you have to have tax money to run this country's government. You can't keep spending, and spending, and spending or the good old USA will end up like the people in the mortgage mess, who took the equity from their homes and took vacations, built pools, bought cars, etc. It was never REAL money to begin with...
T. Boone Pickens and Paul Volker have produced a video/DVD entitled IOUSA. If you can get your hands on it, watch it. Unfortunately its not in general distribution yet, and probably won''t be until after November 4.

Obama is for big government, that is very clear, instead of letting free enterprise work. Can we continue to prop up everything and everybody. I favor McCain's plan to stimulate the economy and find a way for the media to quit making claims that the sky is falling. Eventually, preception becomes our reality. Thank the media for some of the hesteria.

I agree with Anne, it can't be stopped or reversed--The free market will sort it out, as painful as it may be for some people. Good Luck

Hi Julie
There is a word for that, it's called plagiarism. Maybe next time give the author credit, or maybe just provide a link to the article. As for the slanted part--REALTOR magazine, says it all. Good Luck you're going to need it.

I believe this is the same Obama that wants bankruptcy judges to "adjust" the principal on home loans that the owner "is having trouble paying". Really. I guess the home I just sold to George and Carol, actually Carol and Ann here in California, is now worth less than they bought it for since housing prices declined. So they ask a judge to reduce the principal by wiping, say 100K off the mortgage.... Anyone see a problem with this? If the government can cut your loan on down times, why can't they raise it in good times? And who makes it up to the bank? Is there such a thing as "down market insurance". Crikey! Have we have lost our way...

Julie should read this post before using copyrighted material. http://www.trulia.com/blog/frances_flynn_thorsen_srs_e-proa/2008/10/copyright

Why was this blog put back up the NAR had asked for it to be taken down for use of their content. Please contact the NAR and let them know that it is back up.

Two more words to highlight the crystal clarity of so many previous comment-makers - Sarah Palin. She's a great shot in the arm for the economy, isn't she? You betcha. Hahahahahahahahahaha. Her presence simply refutes anything you might claim to intimate that John McCain should hold the reins of this country. End of discussion.

Dear Mr./Ms. "Police:"

NAR has NOT asked us to remove this post.

I contacted several people at the National Assn. of REALTORS moments after reviewing this post, and informed them that the blogger was reaching beyond accepted norms with their content. Considering the fact that this post addresses an important matter of grave concern to REALTORS and consumers, and the face that there is a great deal of "conversation" around the article, I requested that NAR consider granting a retroactive permission to publish .... and that permission would apply to this posting only.

Trulia practices good cyber citizenry ... I became aware of the matter when I received a note in a comment in an article that I wrote encouraging bloggers to follow copyright guidelines.

We will be happy to follow whatever instruction NAR gives us in this matter. We endeavor to act prudently and responsibly

As the person who wrote the blog in question, I'd like to say this: I know what plagiarism is. I know not to violate copyright laws. I paraphrased the information from Realtor Magazine as best I could to relay the story that was written. I was distressed by the content's impact on the real estate market and wanted to share. That's what BLOGGING on Trulia is about. Yes?? I believe the person who accused me of copyright violation did so because of political reasons---not copyright infringement.

Shame on you. Bad form.

For those who used blatant insults against anyone who held an opposing political viewpoint, I hope you enjoyed your freedom as an American to speak your mind without reciprocity. However, freedom of speech does not excuse bad manners. Some of us might want to re-examine our ability to maintain integrity while under duress.

Now, that we have a new president, I'm glad we can put this all behind us. As Leanne Walker says, we have work to do! Here's wishing success and prosperity for us all.