Part of the reason for this attitude can be traced to the drop in home values. Often this is the
largest single asset for an individual, and serious declines in value cause a significant drop in net
worth. While the perceived change in wealth may be greater than the actual drop, for a public
accustomed over the past 10 to 20 years to ever-appreciating home values, any drop comes as a
shock, and it has forced many to reconsider their financial planning. The cost of their children's
college educations and their own retirement may not be coming from the equity in their home, and