Over the past several years, U.S. housing starts have dropped to around 400,000 units at an annualized rate, the lowest level in decades. A simple model of housing supply that takes into account residential mortgage foreclosures suggests that housing starts will return to their long-run average by about 2014 if house prices first stabilize and then begin appreciating, and the bloated inventory of foreclosed properties declines.
When Will Residential Construction Rebound?
William Hedberg and John Krainer
Mon, 25 Jul 2011 07:00:00 GMT
Brucetheeconomist's Blog 
With the ‘flattening’ of the world, 3 decades of stagnant blue-collar wages, and now cutting entitlements, nobody but the wealthiest will be owners.