Reading Dr. Seiders' comments on the alleged irrelevance of the International Monetary Fund study to Americans (“IMF Housing Price Study of Little Relevance to U.S. Market,” April 7) suggests a rather shortsighted view.

 

While foreign housing markets are seldom based on mortgage and other systems as consistently strong as ours, those foreign markets are outlets for American industry. There is a reason why NAHB has an international program and why we have spent considerable time and money promoting our efforts abroad. One of those reasons is to open up new opportunities for business.

 

In the end, however limited the IMF study may be in terms of its applicability to our own market, the total impact of housing trends in other countries does have relevance for us.

 

Joe Honick
GMA International, Ltd.