8 Stylish Ways To Display Your Book Collection In Your Home

8 Stylish Ways To Display Your Book Collection In Your Home


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7 Weekend DIY Project Ideas

7 Weekend DIY Project Ideas


Getting ready for the weekend with 7 more DIY ideas to try. There are a few larger furniture and decor projects to test the waters on, along with some quick and easy small projects too. So, regardless of how much time you may to spare this weekend, there is bound to be something that fits the bill in the DIY department. Click through to see all 7 weekend DIY ideas.


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The benefit of Buying instead of Renting a Home!

The benefit of Buying instead of Renting a Home!


Buying a home is the most significant decision generally for families as is renting. The entire process is daunting. If you are a confident first time buyer then it becomes a life changing decision. It is a complicated process which is exhausting, exciting, fulfilling at the same time. Owning a home is not just a place to live, it is a means to create wealth as they say – ‘wealth buys wealth’. It is an asset building strategy. While, a few people think renting as a waste of money, and for those who cannot afford it. The idea is to rent it till you can buy comfortably since the apartment rents are at a rise in many cities. Home ownership is an option most people are looking into slowly and gradually. Buying a home requires cash investments, is an liquid asset as it cannot be sold immediately as you like and when you like


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Renting a Home vs. Buying a Home

Renting a Home vs. Buying a Home


The decision to rent or buy a home can be overwhelming. There are many headlines in the news about home ownership. The most popular and beneficial recent story is that mortgage rates are at historically low rates! The average 30 year mortgage rate has fallen to 3.65% (Freddie Mac, February 2016). What exactly does this mean to a renter? Let's take a look at the benefits of renting versus buying.


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Generation Rent nears the end of the line

Generation Rent nears the end of the line


When it comes to the obsessions of Londoners, property prices and the Tube both rank highly. No wonder that a map combining the two — the London Underground Rent Map — has gone viral on social media this week.


Subtitled “Where you can’t afford to live in London, stop by stop” it has been shared on Facebook and Twitter hundreds of thousands of times. If you haven’t seen it, each Tube station on the map displays the average monthly cost of renting a one-bed flat within a one kilometre radius.


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What Makes An Austin Texas Home A Great Investment?

What Makes An Austin Texas Home A Great Investment?


AUSTIN, TX. – Is buying an Austin Texas Home a great investment? The answer to this question is yes, buying Austin Real Estate is an excellent investment especially if you follow this criteria.
#1 – Look For a Home near A Great School
The first thing you can do to insure you purchase a home that’s a great investment is to buy an Austin Texas Home that’s close to a great school because homes that are near great schools are always highly desirable no matter if the Real Estate market is up or down.
#2 – Choose a Home in a Walkable Area
Another important thing to do when searching for an Austin Texas Home For Sale is to choose a home that’s in a walkable area because not only will a walkable location be more convenient for you as you grow older, it will also be a home that has a higher resale value as well since most buyers want to buy homes that are in walkable locations as well.


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Retirees cash in big-city homes to fund their golden years

Retirees cash in big-city homes to fund their golden years

Judith Hunter has lots of friends near Collingwood, Ont. She loves photographing nature, and the town certainly has more of that than Toronto, where she lives now. And there are plenty of trails to walk her nine-year-old Yorkie, Asti. So after nearly five years of retirement, Ms. Hunter is packing up and moving to the Georgian Bay burg.

Many people downsize when they retire. But because she’s escaping the big-city real-estate market, Ms. Hunter is actually upsizing. She’s trading her condo for a bungalow.

“I don’t require that money to be part of my cash flow for living expenses,” says Ms. Hunter, who is in her early 60s. But in a house of her own, she continues, “I get to do all the ‘retirement activities’ you hear about.”

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How to create your dream home in Austin's hot real estate market

How to create your dream home in Austin's hot real estate market


Editor's note: With rents hitting historic highs, and in many metros surpassing them, the share of Americans who wish to achieve homeownership is rising year-over-year. Our friends at Trulia share insight on the dream of owning a home — and how to achieve it in Austin.

The number of Americans who dream of owning a home one day is up to 75 percent, according to a survey conducted by Harris Poll and Trulia. Within the millennial category, 80 percent of young people imagine owning their own home at some point. These statistics show that the American dream, which steadily declined after the housing market crash and recession of late 2008, is alive and well across all age groups. 

In a recent study, Trulia ranked Austin the third best market to watch in 2016 based on five metrics: high job growth over the past year, affordability rates, large number of inbound home searches, high percentage of millennials, and low vacancy rates. Austin stole the third spot, behind the Grand Rapids, Michigan and Charleston, South Carolina, primarily due to a high share of millennial residents and the healthy job market.

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Top tips on how to add value to property

Top tips on how to add value to property


1. Be Objective


This might sound obvious, but you will only be able to convert your investment into a return if you are able to sell your home at a good price. This means ensuring the improvements you make have a broad appeal. Optics Bars or ‘roll top’ baths in the middle of a bedroom will only ever appeal to a small section of the market, especially if they are at the expense of valuable living space.


2. Extend/Convert


The two main factors that determine a property’s price are size and location. The latter isn’t something you can change but adding space can be an effective way to add value. However, spending £100,000 rearranging the layout of your property doesn’t mean you will add £100,000 in value. Why? Because you haven’t added a single extra square metre of floor space.


Loft conversions or basement conversions are one of the most cost effective ways to add value to your property and can, on average, increase the price by 20 to 40 per cent, with a rear extension adding slightly less. So if you can, build up or build out.


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Richards Puts Communities of Color at Forefront of Housing Debate

Richards Puts Communities of Color at Forefront of Housing Debate


"Why am I here?" City Council Member Donovan Richards asked rhetorically, speaking with energy beyond what you would expect from someone in the midst of chairing 20 hours of land use policy hearings over two days. The question wasn't Richards rethinking his career path or delusion brought on by testimony after testimony about zoning code, it was a way of punctuating his explanation that of course he had to put communities of color at the forefront of discussions about affordable housing in New York City.
"This is the culmination," Richards told Gotham Gazette about the Council's consideration of de Blasio administration proposals to change citywide zoning rules aimed at increasing affordable housing throughout the city. "This is a build up. People are seeing what's happening in Bed-Stuy, we've seen what's happened in Harlem, this is people's lives, people have to move out of New York City because they can't afford to live here," he said.


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I've been investing in real estate for 25 years, and I think buying a house is for suckers

I've been investing in real estate for 25 years, and I think buying a house is for suckers


Should you own a home? Unless you have 20 million bucks in the bank, in cash, you have no business buying a house.
People think the only way to save money is to buy a house. Suzy Orman thinks you have no way to earn any real money for yourself, so she advises you to buy a house as the only way to get your money. You will get your home paid off when you are old. Who wants to wait until they are old to have money?


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Should You Ever Pay Cash When Buying a Home?

Should You Ever Pay Cash When Buying a Home?

Pros and cons of mortgages vs. paying cash.

With mortgage interest rates still as low as they are, paying cash for a house should not be first on your list of financial priorities. Saving for retirement, building adequate emergency savings and paying off higher interest debt almost always take precedence.
That said, if you have the means to pay cash for a home, there are situations when buying your house outright is the way to go.

Reasons to keep your cash

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Hilltop II Next Gen Home

Home of the Week- 7102 Hibiscus Falls

Negotiating with Real Estate Agents - Buyer or Seller

Negotiating with Real Estate Agents - Buyer or Seller


OK, maybe a tug of war image is overdoing it a little, but they say all life is a negotiation. When it comes to selling or buying a home, you can negotiate with the real estate professional. At least you can if they can. Huh? Most real estate agents are licensed under the supervision and responsibility of a broker. They get their instructions and business practices from that broker.
That doesn't mean that you can't negotiate with an agent who must get approval. But, get ready for some of that "used car" thing with "I'll have to check with my broker" thing. If the agent has certain latitude, it does make the process faster and easier. Let's look at both sides, first a home seller and then a home buyer.


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Mortgage delinquencies have plunged to pre-recession levels

Mortgage delinquencies have plunged to pre-recession levels


FA Insights is a daily newsletter from Business Insider that delivers the top news and commentary for financial advisors.
Mortgage delinquencies are down to pre-recession levels (FA Magazine)
Mortgage delinquencies are down to pre-recession levels, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Analysts "attributed the better homeowner health to improvements in the job market and housing prices," reported Ted Knutson.


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Low Down Payment Loans Are Back

Low Down Payment Loans Are Back

A feature of the housing crisis is back.

No, the Rocket Mortgage Ad Is Not the Sign of Another Financial ApocalypseMinorities Face Significant Barriers to Home Ownership in the U.S., Report SaysThis Is The Dumbest Reason You’re Losing Money

Just because you haven’t saved up enough for a 20% down payment—or even 10%—doesn’t mean you’re locked out of the housing market.
In 2015, 26% of loans for home purchases were made with down payments of less than 10% of the home’s value, according to data released Thursday from RealtyTrac. That’s a 10% increase from 2014. In fact, the number of home owners who purchased homes with low down payments has been steadily increasing for the past five years.

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8 homes that generate more energy than they consume

8 homes that generate more energy than they consume


Your future home could make electric bills a thing of the past, and even help you earn money in the process. Plus-energy homes are popping up around the world, generating more energy than they use, and can even be set up to sell excess energy back to the grid. Beautiful, energy efficient, and increasingly affordable, these dwellings are proving the viability of renewable energy over fossil fuel sources. We’ve rounded up eight plus-energy homes that can produce more energy than they need, with some so powerful that they can even light up the house next door.


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Home of the Week- 16927 Sonoma Ridge

4 Cleaning Solutions You Never Heard Of

4 Cleaning Solutions You Never Heard Of

As we become more and more aware about the effects of household chemicals on our health and on the environment, it is becoming easier than ever to find alternatives to using store-bought cleaning supplies. Most of the commercially produced products contain chemicals like ammonia and bleach, and even though they clean well they can damage the nervous and respiratory systems and be harmful to both your family and your pets.
With a few simple ingredients and a little time, you can make your own cleaning supplies that not only reduce the number of toxic substances in your home but will even save you money.
Most of the non-toxic cleaning supplies use the same basic ingredients such as castile soap, white vinegar, baking soda and essential oils. For baking soda and vinegar, consider stocking up on larger sizes of these items from either a restaurant supply store or a warehouse store — not only is it more economical, but once you start making your cleaners at home, you will want to be able to refill your supply easily.
1. Granite Cleaner

• 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol
• 3 drops of castile soap
• 1 cup water
• 5-10 drops of essential oils (for scent)
• Put the rubbing alcohol into a 16 oz spray bottle. Add the soap, essential oil and water. Shake to combine.

2. Toilet Bowl Cleaner

• 1/2 - 3/4 cup baking soda
• 8 - 10 drops tea-tree or melaleuca essential oil
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• Pour the baking soda directly into the toilet bowl, then add oil, then vinegar. Let sit for 10 minutes and scrub with toilet brush.

3. Soft Scrub

• Make this in small batches and store in an airtight container so that it does not dry out between uses.
• 3/4 cup baking soda
• 1/4 cup castile soap
• 1 tablespoon water
• Combine the baking soda and soap. Add the water and stir to make a paste-like consistency. Use a sponge to scoop out the scrub and use to clean tile, sinks and other hard surfaces.

4. Oven Cleaner

• 1 1/2 cup baking soda
• 1/2 cup sea salt
• 1/2 cup washing soda
• Filtered water (to make a thin paste)
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 10 drops melaleuca oil
• Preheat your oven to the lowest temperature possible and then turn it off.
• Mix baking soda, sea salt, and washing soda in a small bowl. Add melaleuca oil then add vinegar to the mixture — it will fizz a little. Slowly add water until you have a thin enough paste to spread in your oven. Leave the paste in the oven overnight and wipe it out in the morning.

With a few ingredients and a little ingenuity, it is inexpensive and easy to make at home a non-toxic version of these common (and most chemical-laden) cleaning products.

Home of the Week- 9835 Marbach Canyon San Antonio, Texas 78245

Home of the Week- 7924 Dublin Forest San Antonio

Should I buy a home while still paying student loans? - Feb. 9, 2016

Should I buy a home while still paying student loans? - Feb. 9, 2016


The decision to become a homeowner is likely to be the biggest financial commitment you'll make, and many factors should be taken into account.
First, let's tackle whether it makes sense to become a homeowner. Writing a monthly rent check can seem like throwing away money, but piling mortgage debt on top of student loans can create a long-term budget crunch.
"With student loan debt, your asset is your education and no one can take that anyway," said Certified Financial Planner Travis Sollinger at Fort Pitt Capital Group. "But if you buy a house and you can't afford the payments, they will take the house."


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6 key steps to buying a home this year

6 key steps to buying a home this year


Would-be homebuyers eyeing 2016 as the year have a fair bit working in their favor. Mortgage credit continues to thaw, interest rates remain surprisingly flat and more homes are expected to hit the market as Spring approaches.
To be sure, some buyers have a more streamlined path than others. Macro-level outlooks are one thing; it's another to build the credit and finances necessary to lock down a home loan in the current lending environment.
Whether you're a first-time explorer or a long-term dreamer, here are six tips to help you make the leap and take advantage of a promising housing market in 2016.


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All the Hidden, Unexpected Costs of Buying a Home

All the Hidden, Unexpected Costs of Buying a Home

Your home is probably the most expensive thing you’ll ever own, and that expense goes beyond the closing price. There’s the cost of the house, but then there are other ongoing and upfront expenses that can catch you off guard. Especially if you’re a first time buyer, it helps to know what you’re getting into.

Zillow estimates that, on average, Americans pay about $9,000 a year in extra home ownership costs, but that varies depending on where you live, and how you buy. Some of these costs aren’t exactly “hidden” but they are commonly overlooked. Let’s take a look at them in detail.


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Real Estate Through The Eyes Of Zillow

Real Estate Through The Eyes Of Zillow


The Seattle-based website Zillow was launched in 2006 to bring more transparency to the world of real estate. Consumers can use the site to find out what their homes are worth according to Zillow’s “zestimate,” or to check out home prices in areas they are interested in.
Since then, millions have used Zillow – it’s become one of the most popular real estate websites in the world.


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A tech hub rises in Playa Vista

A tech hub rises in Playa Vista


A mixed-use project envisioned as Playa Vista's downtown has been sold to a Dallas investment firm for a reported $475 million, cementing the master-planned community's rise as a residential neighborhood and technology hub.
The steep price for Runway Playa Vista — a retail, residential and office development that cost about $300 million to develop — shows what can happen when tech giants like Facebook, YouTube and Microsoft come to town.

Investors are banking on those companies luring highly educated and highly paid workers to the burgeoning community as it nears completion


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Real estate: Five $1-million-plus homes on the market

Real estate: Five $1-million-plus homes on the market


Ottawa’s luxury housing market is on the rise, with an abundance of homes and condos in the $1-million-and-above range found in neighbourhoods all across the city, a far cry from the days when the city’s most luxurious homes were concentrated in prestigious Rockcliffe Park.
And the City of Ottawa and Ontario’s Municipal Property Assessment Corp. recently reported the number of residential properties assessed at more than $1 million has risen to 2,697 in 2015 from 402 in 2006.


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How to figure out how much house you can afford

How to figure out how much house you can afford


Buying your first home is an exciting process, but it's not just about finding the features you want.
If you're like most people, price plays a major role in your decision. After all, even if you feel confident that you can afford a property, you'll still have to convince a lender.
All lenders have unique lending guidelines, but they usually include some of the same key benchmarks. Here are two metrics they'll use to decide how large a loan to issue you:


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How Film Industry, Zombies Boost Metro ATL Housing

How Film Industry, Zombies Boost Metro ATL Housing


For seven months of the year, real estate developer Scott Tigchelaar and his family are just as likely to see zombies roaming the streets of their Senoia, Georgia, neighborhood as they are to see their actual neighbors. But fear not. "When there are 200 zombies standing outside your house, and one of them is having a cigarette and the other is eating a granola bar, it does sort of take the scary factor away," said Tigchelaar, whose family also owns a local film production company.
The zombies are actually actors in the hit AMC series The Walking Dead, which has been filming in Senoia since the show began six seasons ago. In the show, a 15-foot steel fence surrounding the collection of brownstones and single-family homes is supposed to keep the humans safe from the monsters. But is anyone safe from the temptation of Hollywood's deep pockets?
Certainly not those in the Atlanta area and other parts of Georgia, who are reaping the benefits from film and television production incentives that kicked off in earnest in 2008. The incentives have ushered in a wave of film and TV projects, boosting the housing market and even changing the timeline on construction projects, especially in the Atlanta area.



For seven months of the year, real estate developer Scott Tigchelaar and his family are just as likely to see zombies roaming the streets of their Senoia, Georgia, neighborhood as they are to see their actual neighbors. But fear not. "When there are 200 zombies standing outside your house, and one of them is having a cigarette and the other is eating a granola bar, it does sort of take the scary factor away," said Tigchelaar, whose family also owns a local film production company.
The zombies are actually actors in the hit AMC series The Walking Dead, which has been filming in Senoia since the show began six seasons ago. In the show, a 15-foot steel fence surrounding the collection of brownstones and single-family homes is supposed to keep the humans safe from the monsters. But is anyone safe from the temptation of Hollywood's deep pockets?
Certainly not those in the Atlanta area and other parts of Georgia, who are reaping the benefits from film and television production incentives that kicked off in earnest in 2008. The incentives have ushered in a wave of film and TV projects, boosting the housing market and even changing the timeline on construction projects, especially in the Atlanta area.

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Rocket Mortgage Super Bowl Ad Criticized for Encouraging Another Housing Crisis

Rocket Mortgage Super Bowl Ad Criticized for Encouraging Another Housing Crisis

Says getting a mortgage should be like buying shoes.

With few exceptions, Super Bowl 50 was chock full of head-scratching advertisements that made people wonder did they really spend $5 million on those 30 seconds?
One such ad, by mortgage lender Quicken Loans, wanted to clue consumers in about its new “Rocket Mortgage” service, which supposedly makes it super easy—and fast—for buyers to get a mortgage. As the voiceover explains, the service promises that securing a mortgage could be just like buying a pair of shoes online, and could take less than 10 minutes:

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What People Say About Your Home When You're Not There

What People Say About Your Home When You're Not There


If you're putting your home on market, you're probably dying to know what home buyers will have to say as they tour your property. While you hope there'll be nothing but oohs and aahs, that's not always the case.
Just so you know what potential buyers are really thinking when you're not there, we asked Realtors to reveal some of the most noteworthy -- and cringeworthy -- statements they've overheard as potential buyers inspect the goods. Wince, take note, and act accordingly.
'What's that smell?'

When Heather Witt Leikin, a real estate adviser at The Partners Trust, was asked about a home's odor recently during a tour, she had what she thought was a logical answer: The smell was of carpet cleaner, because the owners had just cleaned the rugs for the showings. Sure they looked nice, but the smell was harsh, nasty even -- so much so that the buyer said, "I could never live here" and scrammed. Odious odors, by far, top the list of things home buyers comment on. Here are some of their favorite things to say:


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It’s Finally Getting Easier to Get The Best Kind of Mortgage

It’s Finally Getting Easier to Get The Best Kind of Mortgage

That means cheaper rates

It’s no secret millions of millennials and Gen Xers are having trouble buying homes. But here’s some good news on that front: It just a got a little easier for these and other buyers to qualify for so-called prime mortgages, loans that go to the highest quality borrowers.

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Top 5 Mistakes of Mortgage Shoppers

Top 5 Mistakes of Mortgage Shoppers


Mortgage shopping can be an overwhelming experience for first-time homebuyers, and is not a walk in the park even for the experienced buyer. As you go through the mortgage shopping process, consider these top five errors that can trip up any homebuyer:

1. Not Paying Attention to Your Credit Rating – A poor credit score can result in a higher interest rate, or perhaps not qualifying for a loan at all. Check your credit well before you begin mortgage shopping to allow time for you to fix any errors or repair your credit.
You are able to get one free credit report each year from each of the reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). Check the report for any errors or false accounts that could be damaging your credit. However, the free reports do not give


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Congress Passes Housing Reform Bill with Rare Bi-Partisan Support: National Low Income Housing Coalition

Congress Passes Housing Reform Bill with Rare Bi-Partisan Support: National Low Income Housing Coalition


On February 2, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3700, the Housing Opportunities Through Modernization Act, by a vote of 427 Yeas to 0 Nays. This overwhelming show of support is the result of years of strong advocacy pushing these common sense reforms. Thank you to all advocates who contacted your Representative in the past few days about this important bill!
Prior to passage, H.R. 3700 was improved through the passage of several key amendments. Changes to the bill include the following, all of which passed by voice vote:

• Amendment from Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA) to retain current law

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How much house can you afford? Two easy ways to tell.

How much house can you afford? Two easy ways to tell.


Buying your first home is an exciting process, but it’s not just about finding the features you want. If you’re like most people, price plays a major role in your decision. After all, even if you feel confident that you can afford a property, you’ll still have to convince a lender.
All lenders have unique lending guidelines, but they usually include some of the same key benchmarks. Here are two metrics they’ll use to decide how large a loan to issue you:


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Wells Fargo offers $15K down payment help to home buyers

Wells Fargo offers $15K down payment help to home buyers


Potential home buyers in Detroit and other communities will soon have a new source of down payment assistance from a Wells Fargo bank special program.
Wells Fargo next month will offer its Home Lift program that includes $15,000 down payment assistance grants to first-time home buyers and others who do not own their own home. With $5.25 million earmarked, Wells Fargo says about 250 grants can be made. The program includes home buying counseling.


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Uptick in small, medium house price growth

Uptick in small, medium house price growth


Cape Town - Nominal year-on-year growth in the average value of middle-segment homes in the South African residential property market remained in single digits in January 2016, according to Jacques du Toit, property analyst at Absa Home Loans.
He pointed out on Friday that there was a recent gradual rising trend evident in price growth in two categories of housing analysed in the latest Absa house price indices.
"Despite challenging economic conditions that affect consumers, such as rising inflation and interest rates, the uptick in price growth in some segments of housing was largely the result of the base effect of slowing price growth a year ago," he explained.
In real terms - that is after adjustment for the effect of headline consumer price inflation - price growth remained low in the middle segment of the market.


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Millennials wanted in the housing industry

Millennials wanted in the housing industry


Housing market experts predict a rising number of millennials will buy homes in the coming years as their careers stabilize and more of them begin to marry and start a family.
Yet, according to the National Association of Realtors, the median age of its members is 57. The average age of a loan officer is 54, according to Mortgage Professional America, a news outlet that covers the mortgage and finance industry.


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Mortgage Rates Fall Further, Hitting 3.50%

Mortgage Rates Fall Further, Hitting 3.50%

Mortgage rates for 30-year fixed loans fell this week, with the rate borrowers were quoted on Zillow at 3.50 percent Tuesday, down 11 basis points from last week.

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell throughout the week, reaching 3.47 percent on Sunday before rising slightly.

"Mortgage rates fell last week, touching their lowest levels since mid-2013 before edging slightly higher on Monday," said Erin Lantz, vice president of mortgages at Zillow. "This week, markets will look toward Friday's monthly jobs report and should move upward if the data exceeds expectations."

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Crisis-Era Mortgage Attempts a Comeback

Crisis-Era Mortgage Attempts a Comeback

Now, big money managers including Neuberger Berman, Pacific Investment Management Co. and an affiliate of Blackstone Group LP are lobbying lenders to make more of these “Alt-A” loans—or even buying loan-origination companies to control more of the supply themselves—according to people familiar with the matter.

Years of easy-money policies by central banks and ultralow interest rates are pushing investors to seek out riskier assets with higher yields, such as these Alt-A loans. Many of these loans come with interest rates as high as 8%, compared with an average of about 3.8% for a typical 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. While such relatively...

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Six important things to know about the 2016 housing market

Six important things to know about the 2016 housing market


Buying a home is still part of the American dream.
According to a survey from Trulia, 75% of Americans dream of owning a home, up 1% from 2015. This dream is even more pressing among Millennials because 80% of those surveyed would like to buy a home — and 31% would like to do so by 2018.
Whether you're looking to buy a home this year or already own one, there are important factors that will affect your investment. Here are the six important things you need to know about the housing market in 2016.


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Home of the Week- 8206 Lajitas Bend San Antonio, Texas 78254

The Big Short's Big Shortcomings

The Big Short's Big Shortcomings


"Food Stamp recipients didn't cause the financial crisis," said President Barack Obama in his final State of the Union speech. "Recklessness on Wall Street did."
That's also the message of "The Big Short," a fascinating film that looks at how bankers' greed led to the 2007 mortgage meltdown, the implosion of the housing market, the near-collapse of the financial industry, and the breakdown of the whole economy, including widespread layoffs and foreclosures, from which we have still not fully recovered. Producer Brad Pitt (who also has a quirky part in the film) and director Adam McKay clearly viewed the film as an indictment of the banking system and its insatiable appetite for profits and wealth. They wanted to elicit the audience's outrage at how the bankers' short-sighted gluttony caused so much suffering among millions of Americans through no fault of their own.



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