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2008-2009 Financial Mess - Cause Map Overview: One house in foreclosure doesn’t cripple the U.S.
financial system, but thousands of houses in foreclosure is one of
Source:

Using Root Cause Analysis to Explain a Complex Economic Issue the causes in a "chain of events" that negatively compounds
throughout the economy.
Basic Cause Map
Read the cause-and-effect relationships from left to right by saying "because" in place of each arrow. Preliminary reports from the National Bureau of Economic Research
indicates that in 4Q 2008 the United States GDP declined at an annual
Economic Bank / financial Foreclosures rate of 6.3%, the worst decline since 1982. In 2008, foreclosure rates
U.S. Housing bubble increased 81% from the previous year, 25 banks failed, and the
Goals institution increase
Recession bursts national unemployment rate reached 7.2% and continues to rise. The
Impacted failures significantly
root cause analysis below shows some of the causes of the current
financial predicament and focuses specifically on a few of the vicious
This simple analysis shows that the Economic Goals of the U.S. (its financial security) are affected because
cycles that continue to fuel the problem.
the recession The recession is because of the bank and financial institution failures, which were because of
the significant increase in foreclosures when the "Housing bubble" burst.
Any feedback to improve the accuracy of this page is appreciated.

The Cause Mapping method of root cause

analysis shows how individual cause-and-effect
relationships connect to create a bigger issue. Supply of
houses is too ?
Downward Spiral of Housing Prices
Solution: high
Once the "Housing bubble" burst in 2005-2006, housing prices began to decline. The initial
Housing prices Housing bubble
Effect Cause decline, along with other components listed, caused homeowner equity to decline. Once
SELF Housing
d li prices
idl to be
equity in a house is negative, a homeowner is generally unable to sell or refinance. If a bursts AND
FEEDING decline continued...
Evidence: homeowner is also unable to make their mortgage payments, foreclosure is inevitable. (2005 - 2006)
CYCLE Rising foreclosures increases the supply of houses available which causes further downward Evidence: By Sept 2008, Evidence: See Chart
For a free copy of our root cause analysis template in pressure on housing prices. This cycle continues to repeat, feeding itself, producing a average U.S. housing price of the day, above. Demand for
Microsoft Excel, used to create this page or to learn more declined over 20% from houses is too ?
downward spiral with significant consequences.
about our method, visit our web site at mid 2006 peak.
low
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AND
Increase in
supply of Little or no
Homeowner Little or no Housing bubble:
Detailed Cause Map - Starting with the Basic Cause Map above, homes Unable to sell or down payment
equity declines equity when the increase in real
more detail can be added in between each of the cause-and-effect Evidence: Housing inventory
refinance home when estate prices to
(some negative) purchased
levels reached a record high in purchased unsustainable levels,
relationships to reveal a more thorough analysis.
Sept 2007. Evidence: Mar 2008, 8.8 Evidence: In 2005, the where the bubble
million borrowers AND median down payment for bursts and prices
(10.8%) had negative first-time home buyers was decline.
Economic equity in their homes. 2%. 43% of those buyers
U.S. Lines of credit made no down payment.
Goals Business Foreclosures
Recession Banks restrict Bank capital taken against
Impacted spending increase Negative Equity:
lending
Banks declines AND
home equity
decreases significantly Owing more on your
restrict house than it's worth. Evidence: 2006 study, 1
Evidence: 2008 of 5 homeowners held a Consumerism,
Business Foreclosure rate up home equity loan or "spending too
slowdown AND
81% from 2007. second mortgage.
Possible Solution: much" Adjustable-rate
Unemployment Federal support of failing mortgage
Increases
institutions (ARM) used to
Unemploy AND AND
Consumer finance home
ment
Evidence: Up to 8.1% (Feb spending Bank / financial Household AND
2009) Highest in 25 years. decreases institution Mortgage
No longer able spending
failures Household payments
to make increases Low interest /
spending increase
mortgage (> $OUT) "teaser" period
exceeds income ended on ARM
Loss of AND payments AND
Evidence: Americans spent
SELF consumer
more than their disposable
AND/OR Evidence: Estimated 1/2
of ARMs originated
FEEDING confidence Possible Solution: Tax income every year starting
between 2004 and 2006
CYCLE Evidence: Consumer
rebates, Tax reductions in 1999 (134% in 2008). Higher prices had "teaser" rates below
confidence is at record
Less Monthly income
Household for food, 4%.
lows. Household energy, goods
disposable income reduced
income (< $IN)
Unemployment Causes Loss of Consumer Confidence
As business slowsdown, companies are forced to reduce costs which causes lay- AND
High Unemployment Reduces Income
offs. This causes a loss of consumer confidence as people become concerned
about their own employment situation. And the cycle feeds upon itself. As business slows, companies are forced to lay off employees to TM
Concern of survive. This feeds back into the cycle by reducing income levels
losing job causing more foreclosures and less disposable income, both of
which feed the downward spiral.
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