46 Quotes by Dean Baker

Hawaii's home prices suffered in the 1990s because of economic trouble in Japan, ... If home prices in California reverse, it will have ripple effects.

Historically, rent prices and sale prices have moved together.

He consciously promoted the housing bubble as a way of boosting the economy.

It could be a very big hit. I'd say there's a 10 to 15 percent chance of negative growth if we see a spike in interest rates, or a really big jump in energy prices.

I think their intention is to get people who are loyal and that does raise problems. It's clear that they're looking at this as a sales position.

People are really stretched. They are banking on everything turning out right for them. That they won't lose their jobs, that they won't run into unexpected expenses. They're betting that the housing market will continue to appreciate.

People are always trying to explain the lack of questions as saying there's a consensus around monetary policy, but there's anything but a consensus on monetary policy. What upsets me more than anything is no one is asking serious questions.

It does pull a lot of money out of people's pockets. Even if it doesn't go back up much, it translates to a 50-to-60-cents-a-gallon gas tax. But for the borrowing that people were willing to do, it probably would have led to recession.

We're building at a 2 million-a-year pace, which is more than demand, and we're going to keep building at that pace until home prices correct, ... It's already showing up in the rental market, oversupply is pushing down rental prices.