Banks, Banking, and real estate

There are now 81 failed banks so far this year, with another 400+ on the danger list. Some estimates place the probable troubled banks likely to go into receivership in the four digit range.
Frightening times. Meanwhile unemployment marches upward, and the national debt is revised upward a trillion at a time, without considering the possibility of a health care bill that proposes to cost well over a trillion more. Sanity is in short supply in Washington where it appears that the average IQ never exceeds room temperature. The health care reform proposed is likely not to happen because of the obvious resistance of the citizenry, although most of us believe some reform is necessary. Tearing down your home because of a leak in the roof would not be prudent, nor is it prudent to tear down the current health care system to address the problems. Tort reform would reduce costs by the billions, strengthening the investigative oversight of Medicare/Medicaid would save billions more in fraud elimination, and allowing the crossing of state lines by insurers would improve competition. Taxing of benefits as income would provide some revenue. These measures are for the most part not being mentioned or considered because implementation would possibly interrupt the income stream from lobby groups.
On a happier note. Although real estate values continue to decline and lenders are generally tougher to deal with, a sharp broker, (that would be us), can offer some attractive financing for residential purchase or refinance, commercial loans at favorable rates for most types of properties, and agricultural loans for vineyards. hobby farms, farms, ranches, and orchards, also at great rates. To cite the old cliche, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. There is some credibility in the argument that a recession is a great opportunity to start a business, or some enterprise. Property is cheap, labor is plentiful, money is inexpensive.
As usual
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