Today Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke share with Congress his concerns for the economy that continues to see a slow down.  Despite the recent movements by the Bush Administration and the global efforts of the world’s central banks, the US Economy is still continuing retract.   The financial and credit markets continue to show daily uncertainty.

The Federal Reserve has left the door open for another rate cut during its meeting on October 28-29.  Bernanke believes stimulus provided by monetary policy along with stabilization of the housing and credit markets will help the economy set a strong foundation.

Bernanke proposed an additional stimulus package that could total anywhere from $150-300 Billion.

“If the Congress proceeds with a fiscal package, it should consider including measures to help improve access to credit by consumers, home buyers, businesses and other borrowers,” Bernanke said. “Such actions might be particularly effective at promoting economic growth and job creation,” he added.

Passage of an additional sitmulus package prior to election seems unlikely, however, the direction of the economy will deterimine how Congress will act.

I had an interesting conversation with one of my family members today regarding current state of available mortgages.  Dino Venti owner of Venti’s Cafe in downtown Salem has been building his loyal clientel for nearly 13 years.  When you step into Venti’s you feel a sense of community among the regulars – it definitely has that “Cheers” type of atmosphere.  Having the face to face contact with customers nearly every day for the past 13 years, Dino has established many friends and acquaintances in the Willamette Valley.

He mentioned to me this evening as I was picking up my Boulder Bowl and Teriyaki Chicken for dinner, that he had a client tell him today that there are no mortgages available for people who have a credit score less than 750.

We’ve all heard, seen, or read about the housing industry and the changes in lending from banks.  As I mentioned in my post titled “Yes, You Can Still Get A Loan!” there are plenty of loans originating in these harsh economic times.

Communication is a key element in every aspect of our lives.  The media’s job is to communicate the message to the people.  How that message is interpreted by the people can vary on many levels.  In times when there is a massive amount of information flowing from every source of media imaginable, it is vital to understand where you stand in the midst of the changes.  The lack of financial education in our country has been prevalent for so long that we’re now dealing with the consequences.   Education is the tool that must be utilized to understand the meaning of what we hear, see, and read.

If you have questions about how the changes in our banking, mortgage, and real estate industries affect you, please don’t hesitate to ask!

The daily media focus on the economy has brought the “banking crisis” to the forefront of everybody’s mind.  The failure of several large players in the banking system including 158 year old Lehman Brothers and the largest savings and loan bank Washington Mutual, has undoubtedly proven struggles in our banking system.  The congressional decision to pass the bailout plan will provide the much needed relief to the banks with a manageable recovery in sight.

Being in the midst of the daily information overload as a mortgage professional, I enjoy coming home with the family and turning on the evening news to see how the media will portray the day’s events.  Lately, I have been more than disappointed with the news of the banking system.  As banks fail or are aided by the government, the media provides the message that credit has completely “dried up” for American consumers.  The reality in the lending system now is that there are still loans available.

What we fail to hear is that Americans became used to a banking/lending system that was unconventional and much too lenient.  The performance of these banks was more important than education for those who lend and those who borrow.  This lending system has lead to an unusual amount of defaults in nearly all areas of banking.  The result has been a shift in lending practices.  There are still loans available for any need American consumers may have, but we have reverted to normal qualification standards.

We hear that bank loans have “dried up” or that there is no longer any loans available for consumers.  These claims are extremely vague and rarely come with any facts.  Please know that we are in a transition period to return to normal lending standards and there is still money available to borrow.  Below are some numbers from the Federal Reserve Board’s weekly report.  Note that consumer loans were up 9.5% from August 2007 to August 2008.

The need for education about credit, lending, and overall financial planning should accompany every credit decision.

If you have questions about how the transition period will affect you please comment or email to Conrad Venti.

U.S. Bank Loans (Billions of Dollars)

Federal Reserve Board, “Asset and Liabilities of Commercial Banks in the United States” (H.8)