Sean Maher

The Great Consumer Crash of 2009

Good summary of the deleveraging pain now facing US consumers; I've discussed a structural downshift in US consumption (and necessarily huge rise in infrastructure spend) on my blog many times; while attention is focused on the slumping subprime mortgage market, the biggest risk going forward is in superprime 'McMansion' loans, of $500k-$2m where default rates are climbing fast; the greatest overconsumption/debt accumulation in the boom years has been among the professional middle classes striving to maintain their 'deserved' lifestyle in the face of stagnating salaries and soaring service inflation. As white collar job losses rise, this may cause a whole new wave of foreclosures in upmarket suburbs nationwide.