Below is a link to an article in The Fiscal Times.  Within the article they provide 7 reasons why home ownership is down.  I must say, I agree.

http://theweek.com/article/index/250446/7-reasons-rentals-are-rocking-the-housing-market

1.  There's a lingering impact from the foreclosure crisis and I think there should be.  Hopefully some of the takeaways are, don't buy a home if you can't afford it, don't count on appreciation, live within your means.

2.  Lending conditions remain tight and I sure hope the government doesn't push the guidelines that so many lenders tend to follow making it easier to buy a home.  Buyer's need skin in the game.  So a reasonable down payment and reserve requirements make sense to me.

3.  Investors have reshaped the market, even though the Boise market has really flushed a good portion of the foreclosures, there is at least one institutional investor buying as much as they can.  They are buying them at foreclosures, so I am not too sure how much that impacts the real-estate market.  They're cleaning these up and re-selling at a profit at market value.

4.  Boomerang kids are going to rent first and it states many are living at home.  My oldest just turned 21 and that's what she is doing.

5.  Fewer people are married with children, I guess I will have to trust them on that.  It seems to me that our population growth just continues to grow daily.

6.  Potential buyers are worried about mortgage rates, I think when you are smart enough to understand proper budgeting and living within your means, mortgage rates don't scare you as much.

7.  Buying isn't the "American Dream" anymore.  Did that quote come from me?  I think that is what I had stated on a previous blog post where I stated home ownership isn't for everyone and there are many reasons why renting can be cheaper and better for some.