Personal Finance Daily: Why U.S. house prices will never recover

	Personal Finance Daily MAY 01, 2012 Tuesday's Personal Finance Stories By MarketWatch Don't miss these top stories: Why U.S. house prices won't recover Do I really need this, doc? Stock market as marathon runner Taking inflation into account, U.S. home prices are down to 1895 levels. Yes, that's right, 1895. And 1986 and 1955 levels too, Jack Hough writes in his By The Numbers column. That's because the natural rate of price appreciation for houses is zero after inflation, he says, and it's why U.S. home prices won't recover. Hough also proposes that prospective home buyers should stop focusing on the vague hope that prices will jump from here, and focus instead on the functional value houses provide for the money. In most markets, they provide enough of it to make buying a good deal. Also on MarketWatch, Kristen Gerencher has tips on how to ask the right questions to your doctor and other medical providers to prevent unnecessary treatments and procedures. — Anne Stanley , managing editor, Personal Finance Why U.S. house prices won't recover When will U.S. house prices recover? Likely never. But that's no reason not to buy. Read more: Why U.S. house prices won't recover. Do I really need this, doc? Asking a few key questions at your next appointment could save you both money and exposure to medical risks. Here are five questions you should ask to guard against medical overtreatment. Read more: Do I really need this, doc? INVESTING Pitfalls of the polls With elections taking place in France, Germany and Greece, as well as the kickoff of the U.S. presidential campaign, politics will be making itself felt in the market. Take stock of what MarketWatch's experts have to say about the political environment and other factors for May. Read the May edition of Trading Strategies. 5 stocks picked by billionaires It's no secret that the wealthiest people in this country have an outsize influence on politics, which is generally reflected by their business interests. With an election coming up, what stocks are they interested in now? Read more: 5 stocks picked by billionaires. Stock market as marathon runner Far from painting a picture of strength in recent weeks, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) has displayed utter exhaustion. But weak as it has been, the other major indexes have been weaker still. Read more: Stock market as marathon runner. ECONOMY & POLITICS Key Fed member backs keeping powder dry Dennis Lockhart, the president of the Atlanta Fed and a key centrist on the central bank's rate committee, backed staying on the sideline, keeping power dry in case of a renewed bout of weakness. Read more: Key Fed member backs keeping powder dry. Amazon sales tax inevitable across U.S. The e-commerce giant's (AMZN) investments in its growing number of physical warehouses could give it the ammunition it needs when all its sales are ultimately subject to tax. Read more: Amazon sales tax inevitable across U.S. Swiss ready for say-on-pay vote While the Occupy Zurich movement did not capture the world's imagination in quite the same way as protests in London or New York, national votes in Switzerland on "fat-cat" salaries later this year or early next may deliver results to make the radicals proud. Read more: Swiss ready for say-on-pay vote. Get the latest news on our mobile site: http://www.marketwatch.com/m MarketWatch has sent you this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. To ensure you receive this newsletter in the future, please add marketwatchmail.com to your list of approved senders. Sent to: kumaresan.selva.blogger@gmail.com Unsubscribe | Subscribe Copyright 2012 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. MarketWatch, the MarketWatch logo, and BigCharts are registered trademarks of MarketWatch, Inc. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (updated 6/26/07). MarketWatch - Attn: Customer Service, 201 California St., San Francisco, CA 94111