The Subprime Primer

[RadioFreeSeaLab]

Naughty language, but a pretty clear explanation of how we got where we are today.
http://docs.google.com/TeamPresent?docid=ddp4zq7n_0cdjsr4fn&skipauth=true&pli=1

[RevDisk]

Naughty language, but a pretty clear explanation of how we got where we are today.
http://docs.google.com/TeamPresent?docid=ddp4zq7n_0cdjsr4fn&skipauth=true&pli=1

I remember that from about a year ago.  Funny, not much has changed.

[Hawkmoon]

Yep. That pretty well sums it up.

It's always been that way. I used to be involved in so-called "due diligence" property inspections when big insurance companies were buying commercial real estate as an investment vehicle. The people in the insurance companies who "brokered" the deals needed a due diligence inspection, but they also needed to close the deals or they didn't get their (obscene) commissions. So the unwritten rule was to only report little problems, "don't find any deal breakers."

I looked at (and reported) some real stinkers, but the deals went through regardless.

[Nick1911]

Interesting.

And this is a reasonably accurate depiction of the life cycle of said loans?

[RevDisk]

Interesting.

And this is a reasonably accurate depiction of the life cycle of said loans?

Well, aside from the stick figures, yea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collateralized_debt_obligation is a longer primer, but actually decently written.