3 Review(s)

The subprime financial crisis is the decade's #1 financial story. What happened? How did it occur? And how can we prevent similar crises from happening again? Dr. Mark Zandi answers all these critical questions - systematically, carefully, and in plain English. Zandi begins with a fast-paced "history" of the crisis: where it started, how it spread, and where the fallout has landed. Next, he illuminates its deepest causes, ranging from the psychology of homeownership to Alan Greenspan's missteps. You'll watch the "flippers" at work and the real estate agents who cheered them on. You'll learn how Internet technology and access to global capital transformed mortgage lending, helping irresponsible lenders "drive out" good ones. Zandi demystifies the complex financial engineering that enabled lenders to hide growing risks and shows how global investors eagerly bought in, despite key warning signs. You'll discover how homebuilders contributed to the crisis, and how flummoxed regulators and policymakers failed to prevent it.  Zandi offers indispensable advice for investors who must recognize emerging bubbles, policymakers who must improve oversight and citizens who must reduce their risks, so they can survive whatever comes next. Salient Features A look at the most important financial event since the Great Depression with lessons for homeowners, investors and policymakers A fascinating exposé of the subprime crisis by one of the world's leading economists and experts on credit and credit markets. How mortgage lenders, investment bankers, builders, regulators, and the Fed caused one of the most devastating global economic disasters in history. How homeowners and investors can protect themselves from new financial shocks already on the horizon.