This article written by Robin Garg form Gainesville Florida talks about the US government efforts to save housing market.

The credit crunch and subsequent sinking of the property market has brought reluctant landlords into the letting arena. Here is a guide of what you need to know as a new landlord.

In a plan that promises to keep seven to nine million borrowers from losing their homes, the Obama administration announced its "Making Home Affordable" initiative. The Treasury Department released detailed guidelines about how it plans to help Americans refinance mortgages that would offer lower monthly payments.

Since the housing boom burst, many realtors around the country are struggling to make ends meet. With houses slow to sell and buyers hesitant to enter the market or unable to acquire funding, realtors have been forced to reassess their ability to stay in the game. While creativity and determination certainly contribute to an agent's long-term success, so does the ability to cope with stress.

Many politicians and even the media claim that no one saw the housing bubble burst coming. Well, that is so silly, it's almost ludicrous as anyone that studies real estate cycles, or economics would agree. Still, if you happen to be amongst the masses who actually believe such purported media claims, I'd sure like to recommend a very good book to you. The book is called:

Most state and local governments are claiming a budget crisis, but a look at tax collection revenues show that they're certainly not suffering from a lack of financial resources. Examining public records, we find that tax collections are still on the rise. While most of us believe we can't do much to avoid paying fewer tax dollars, save for cutting out trips to the mall or moving our families to offshore tax havens, there is still the likelihood of reducing our property taxes. In fact, while home values have been falling nationwide, state and local governments are still billing most of us for home values that far exceed realistic market prices. Here's a look at property tax collections according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and information on how you can exercise your right for a fair property valuation, saving you hundreds or potentially thousands of dollars each year.