November 11, 2011
I majored in Economics at Emory University and can tell you that wall street has "defrauded" American home buyers and sellers by a lack of disclosure of the properties that are subject to a pool of mortgage backed securities. I have heard time and time again by "conservative" investors who wanted to avoid "stocks" only to find their real estate investments were exactly that. The SEC has failed to warn the public of this transfer of ownership from main street to wall street in a proactive way. It is my professional opinion that prior to a mortgage being acquired in a trust, it should be advertised as such. The reason is simple. When neighbors see their home values increase it it not because some foreign government has invested in a REIT or a Mortgage backed security that includes houses in their neighborhood it is because the local/state economy supports the supply and demand. This is the true issue with REITS etc...DISCLOSURE and education of the public via advance notice. The SEC has now been charged with cleaning up the "crooks of wallstreet" and I applaude your efforts. Please include public disclosure prior to acceptance into the REIT via a grace and or offering period which would diminsh the "stock" effect of home ownership and allow people to decelerate their purchases based on a greater base of information.