@Ray Browne I'm not an economist, but here's what I think.the decline in oil prices will affect ND and other oil producing states including PA., where layoffs are already occurring.I was in Nashville for a speaking engagement and lived there for several years, I think Nashville is a great place. 

"The Economist" has a chart showing the increased lifetime earnings as a result of a degree.

But I have found economists talking about how a rise in asset prices (without a material change in assets) is essentially redistribution of wealth from those without assets to those with assets.Example:Person 1: Has $100k in cash.Person 2: Has 1 house.House drops 50% in "value".Person 1: Has $100k in cash.Person 2: Has 1 house.Where is the "destruction of wealth"?

Transactions between banks and affiliates are strictly regulated by the Fed. ‘Downward Spiral’ Until problems are fixed in housing, “we’re going to have at best slow growth,†Robert Eisenbeis, a former Atlanta Fed research director who is now chief monetary economist with Cumberland Advisors, said in an interview with Bloomberg Television.

There are full time economists that try to predict marco economics and can't. 

"The Economist" has a long section is the March 3 edition on property.

Several economists believe we will be leveling off (near bottom) and maintaining this leve for a while which would put upward pressures on the interest rate.If it does not not up then you made a little more than your calculations suggested you would, If it does go up you should still be ok because of averages of the years.

It’s some economists’ predictions on what we can expect to happen over the next several years.

Landon S.You know, you economists have an edge, IMHO.

As others have said, there is simply no way to know 'where' interest rates will be.For me personally (I do have a minor in economics, but I by no means am proclaiming to be an economist), I think the key metric to watch is the employment rate.