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The real estate market's greatest losses -- in terms of both dollars and percentages -- have come in tony neighborhoods. That's because jumbo loans have not been available, or were only available at very high interest rates. Jumbo loans typically begin at $417K.

Months ago, a law was passed that allowed you to take out a jumbo loan in expensive housing markets at conventional loan rates. But the loans never really appeared in the market. People thought they'd be able to refinance or move up to a larger house, yet it was essentially vaporware.

Now these modified conventional loans, which are about a quarter of a point higher, finally are showing up. So if you were trying to sell and would-be buyers couldn't get financing, take heart. Or if you wanted to refi a high-cost loan in a high-cost neighborhood, you may be able to get that loan now. The politicians hope this will get the high-end market moving again.

What areas will benefit most from the new influx of jumbo loans at near-conventional rates? Check out the complete list. (Editor's note: This is a PDF file.)

Here on The Clark Howard Show, we have something informally known as "Car Call Mondays." Every Monday, Clark's staffers have to ration the car calls because people flood the phone lines after buying suspect used vehicles over the weekend.

With used car purchases, you buy "as is" -- no matter what condition the car is in. The vehicle and all its warts become your problem. If it comes with any warranty, it's usually very limited.

So Clark wants you to do your homework when you're buying used.

First, make sure the vehicle is worth what you're paying. Check Edmunds.com for the true market value so you come up with a feel for the price.

Second, run the vehicle number through CarFax.com to find out if it's a flood vehicle or if it's been in a horrible accident. For the past 15 years, the insurance industry has been able to block a proposed federal database that promised to give instant access to records about known calamity cars. But no more -- look for the database coming soon.

Finally, have the vehicle checked out by a mechanic as a condition of purchase.

If you caught Clark's Good Morning America appearance yesterday, you know that the quick format of TV forced him to speak in sound bites. Today, he wants to expand on his message about what to do in tight economic times.

There's no automatic easy answer. Let's face it, you can't control the price of a barrel of oil or the rising cost of food. So what can you control? Well, just take a look at your monthly bills.

If you have a landline, analyze your phone bill and find out if you're getting the "tariff rate" for your dial tone. Local monopoly phone companies train their employees to sell the "regular" rate, which is actually a heavily marked-up price for dial tone. But in reality, states set the tariff rate, which can be anywhere from $7 to $17. Keep in mind you have to pay junk fees in the $7 to $12 range on top of that.

When it comes to your TV, try reducing your programming package. You may want to go to broadcast basic, which is another regulated rate for cable TV. You'll typically pay between $9 and $14 for about 30 channels. Or you might even want to eliminate your cable/satellite bill altogether and go the rabbit ears route.

Go through your life, bill by bill, and see what you can do to free up more money. Many times, there's something we can cut out without radically changing what makes us happy.

If you're a shopaholic, try shopping without a cart. When you just fill your arms, you're not able to pick up those impulse purchases. Clark himself only shops in stores with concrete floors like the warehouse clubs -- no malls. When it comes to grocery shopping, he suggests that you buy perishables every week and non-perishables every 6 weeks.

Debt has made us feel like things are worse than they are. Clark recently read an article about how our health can be damaged when we constantly worry about debt. But nothing is worth your health. So come up with a plan and tackle your debt.

There's been so much press devoted to Apple's iPhone being lowered to $199 and beefed up with faster web-surfing capabilities. But here's the gotcha: The data plan is going from $20 to $30, with a 2-year contract required. So you'll actually wind up paying more than if you bought the iPhone when it was more expensive.

Meanwhile, Clark thinks there's a bigger telecommunications story that got wholly ignored: T-Mobile's new Family Time Unlimited plan. The upshot of this plan is that you can add additional lines for $49, which makes it perfect for small business and families. That includes unlimited calling, texting, IM and picture and video messaging.

There's no doubt that the trend is moving toward unlimited calling when it comes to cell phones. Metro PCS offers a family plan that's $100 total for 4 lines. That's perhaps the best deal in cities that Metro already serves.

Unless you're a heavy cell user, Clark advises you to skip the traditional Big 4 carriers and check out Net10.com. There's no monthly fee and all calls are 10 cents/minute. This is particularly great if you use under 300 minutes/month.

If you're between 300 and 1,500 minutes/month, T-Mobile may still be the best for you -- not AT&T, Verizon or Sprint. T-Mobile is the smallest of the Big 4 and has high customer satisfaction ratings.