Double-Dip Recession? 1-in-4 Chance for House Market

How do you like these odds? A new report from Moody's Economy.com predicts a one-in-four chance of the national housing market lapsing into a double-dip recession. The author of the report, economist Andrew Gledhill, identifies 22 cities that are most likely to take another nosedive. While the cities are spread across the U.S., more than half are located in Southern states, and five are in the Midwest. Among the cities mentioned in the report are Missoula, Mont., Salem, Ore., and Little Rock, Ark. Reasons cited for the decline include sluggish job growth, and a dropoff in several industrial markets. If hiring doesn't pick up soon, Gledhill predicts, the number of cities threatened could jump to triple-digits. Hoping for upbeat news after Tuesday's Future of Housing Finance Conference? Don't bet on it.