Today's new home starts (Feb.) were the worst housing number ever- since they began tracking housing starts in year two (1962) of the Kennedy Administration. Housing equity lines of credit or heloc's were once the path to riches. This is how American idiots once financed motor homes, diesel trucks, and the wife's Lexus. Unfortunately, one must own a home, or have enough equity in that home- to get a loan. An additional problem is that banks don't have any money with which to hand out those helocs any more. They are relying on the Bernank to just keep printing so that they can buy treasury debt and try to recapitalize with 4% interest. It won't work. We have no jobs. What jobs are produced- pay dog shit. Nobody is buying new homes. Hell, nobody is buying old homes. Every one's credit sucks. We have wars all over the middle east, a Japanese China Syndrome with a pending concrete party, and some of the worst inflation ever. Check this out. http://online.wsj.com