Housing is a global problem. From the need for basic shelter in developing areas to the lack of sustainable, affordable housing in the industrialized world, this increasingly unstable structure gets weaker every day Fast-rising and fast-falling property values are a big root cause of the housing problems in the world today. Many people are unable to buy homes because of record-high household debt, new economic realities and changing demographics. Housing affordability is putting home ownership outside of the reach of many. With such an uncertain future only one question remains: how long can it stand?