The mortgage meltdown: what went wrong and how do we fix it?Owning a home can bestow a sense of security and independence.But today, in a cruel twist, many Americans now regard their homesas a source of worry and dashed expectations. How did everything gohaywire? And what can we do about it now?In The Rise and Fall of the U.S. Mortgage and CreditMarkets, renowned finance expert James Barth offers acomprehensive examination of the mortgage meltdown. Together with ateam of economists at the Milken Institute, he explores the shockwaves that have rippled through the entire financial sector and thereal economy. Deploying an incredibly detailed and extensive set ofdata, the book offers in-depth analysis of the mortgage meltdownand the resulting worldwide financial crisis. This authoritativevolume explores what went wrong in every critical area, includingsecuritization, loan origination practices, regulation andsupervision, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, leverage and accountingpractices, and of course, the rating agencies. The authors explainthe steps the government has taken to address the crisis thus far,arguing that we have yet to address the larger issues.* Offers a comprehensive examination of the mortgage marketmeltdown and its reverberations throughout the financial sector andthe real economy* Explores several important issues that policymakers mustaddress in any future reshaping of financial marketregulations* Addresses how we can begin to move forward and prevent similarcrises from shaking the foundations of our financial systemThe Rise and Fall of the U.S. Mortgage and Credit Marketsanalyzes the factors that should drive reform and explores theissues that policymakers must confront in any future reshaping offinancial market regulations.