The greedy banks, greedy CEOs and greedy Wall Street firms are responsible for the financial crisis we find ourselves in today. They took advantage of unsuspecting consumers who were just trying to live the American Dream of homeownership. And now we have to pay for their greed. These businesses and other have some accountability and responsibility for the current economic conditions affecting us, however, let’s not totally absolve the consumer/homebuyer in this conversation. They are also culpable.

They weren’t all innocent lambs being led to slaughter. They saw the double and triple digit gains and wanted their piece also. Think about when your parents or grandparents bought their homes. They made sure that they could afford the home. It fit within their budget. They didn’t lie about their incomes to qualify for more house than they could afford. Think about it. There is blame on both sides of the fence; consumers and businesses. Now let’s work together to get out of this mess.

Remember: TINSTAAFL – There is no such thing as a free lunch.