Have you ever wondered how the Federal Reserve works? Here's a brief synopsis.

The Federal Reserve is like the central bank of the federal government and the privately-held guardian of the U.S. economy. It's composed of 12 regional banks that report economic conditions. Together, the heads of the banks determine many economic policies. They collectively:

1. Regulate monetary and credit policies such as the buying and selling securities

2. Set the cost of credit (interest rates,)

3. Determine how much money and what terms are available to member banks for borrowing directly from the central bank (discount rates)

4. Determine the rates and terms member banks borrow money from one another (federal funds target rates)

There are two ways banks can borrow money using Federally-insured funds. They can borrow money directly from the Fed using the "discount" rate, or they can borrow from each other using the "federal funds" interest rate. Both are short-term or overnight rates.

The discount rate is designed to improve liquidity for the banks themselves. The federal funds target rate rate is meant to impact consumer credit.

Because the Fed can't dictate what happens in the market, the Fed will issue a "target" rate for federal funds, which most banks stick close to. They can then charge consumers whatever they feel they can get away with in the form of credit card interest rates, mortgage interest rates, car loans and so on.

One thing the Fed does not do is set mortgage interest rates. The lenders do that based on such factors such as the yields from mortgage-backed securities. When the bond yields go down, interest rates follow. Bond yields go down when the market believes inflation is under control.

If that's true, mortgage interest rates will drop, and housing becomes more affordable.

Published: December 27, 2007

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Blanche Evans is the award-winning senior editor of Realty Times, the Internet's leading independent real estate news service. She is featured daily on the Realty Times Video Network in the "Realty Viewpoint" segment. Blanche has been named one of the "25 Most Influential People In Real Estate" by REALTOR Magazine, and has been twice recognized as a "notable." In 2005, she was named "Top Reporter Covering the NAR" by Delahaye-Bacon's. Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. To contact Blanche, email her at . For more articles by Blanche, click here.