A common misconception. As long as they are forcing interest rates low, the $$ are flowing into the finance system. Everyday I get offers of 0% credit cards (good till 7/03).
This is what happens on the back side of financial bubbles. It is unavoidable.
These past two years have been a bonanza for short-sellers. I almost have my next home paid for. When the housing market tanks, I will have it paid for, and then some.
When interest rates go up, the high-end real estate market is going to get disemboweled. My finance guy noted some venture capitalists are loaning $1M to folks with $4M of equity in Silicon Valley residential real estate. It seems that many are realizing the fallout of the DOT.BOMB days (garden.com - WTF?) and are in need of some cash to try to get back in the game. These loans are going out at 14% and are virtually guaranteed.
This is going to get fugly before it is over. San Jose, CA was the worst performing housing market last year. It will repeat this year. San Francisco was third from the bottom.