LOLLERCOASTER.
You don't know anything about home loans, do you? There's something called DTI (debt to income) ratio...that prohibits people making 35k from buying million dollar homes.
The problem was preditory lending. Banks were allowed more flexible guidelines to give out home loans, to increase people taking out loans, and to make it easier for people with low income to afford a home. They also introduced no doc loans, and stated loans, which made it so that people without traditional jobs could get home loans at decent rates as well.
The problem, is that someone who makes 35k would come along, and they would want to get into a home for as little a monthly payment/ and as little down as possible. These subprime borrowers, most with less than perfect credit, saw 0 down ARMs (adjustable rate mortgages) as the most affordable option. They bouth their home, knowing that their interest rate for the first 1,3, or 5 years would be fixed at a low rate (1-5%). They were told that when their rate expired it would rise, and become adjustable based on the prime rate.
These people thought...well hell, I can buy a house with 0 down, and have it for 5 years at a 1.5% interest rate...well when that 5 years is up, I'll either sell, or refinance...I'll have equity in my home to do so.
So now that everyones low interest ARM is adjusting they're stuck with
a.) a shitty market they can't sell in
b.) depreciation to the point that many owe more on their home than what the market value says it is worth
c.) stricter guidelines that prohibit them from refinancing.
Basically, these people with home loans, want to refinance, but they can't because they're no longer qualified to get a home loan! go figure.