With all the talk about the housing bubble and ways to help fix the situation, it seems that for every solution, two more problems pop up. We saw housing prices fall in the last couple months, but then we hear that the inflation rate in 2007 went up 6.3%, the largest increase in 17 years.

Now an approved stimulus package has been aimed at the struggling lower and middle classes by giving them checks ranging from $600 to $1,200. However, many homeowners know that the sad truth is that the money that the government hopes will fuel retail purchases and the economy, will likely just be used to help folks stay in their homes one more month while they try to avoid foreclosure.

The House, seizing a rare moment of bipartisanship to respond to the economy’s slump, overwhelmingly passed a $146 billion aid package Tuesday that would speed rebates of $600-$1,200 to most taxpayers. … The measure would send rebates to some 111 million people, including roughly 35 million families who don’t make enough to pay income taxes. Individuals with adjusted gross income of $75,000 and couples making $150,000 would get rebates equal to the taxes they paid, up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for couples. Those making more than that would see their rebate go down by 5 percent of every dollar of income over the limits. Taxpayers would get at least $300, even if they paid less than that in taxes — or $600 for couples. That’s also the case for those who don’t pay income taxes but earn at least $3,000. All eligible people would get an additional $300 per child.

Despite these glimmers of hope though, it seems that affordable real estate still eludes the grasp of many buyers.