Alt-A Real Estate mortgage crisis looms like a tidal wave that makes the subprime mortgage crisis look like a ripple in a pond.

So how does this affect you, the average real estate investor?

First, you have to define what an Alt-A mortgage is and what it is going to do to the fledgling recovery in the current economy.

An Alt-A mortgage, short for Alternative A-paper, is a type of U.S. mortgage that is generally considered a larger risk than A-Paper, which is a traditional prime mortgage. It is also known to be less risky than subprime mortgages, the mortgages that got the U.S. housing industry into dire straits to begin with.

The Alt-A crisis is so big, that it is estimated to be twice as damaging as the subprime mortgages that our wonderful leaders in Congress, such as Barney Frank and Chris Dodd, forced us into. They focused on using the power of the law to force lenders to give mortgage and home loans to people who had 'less than stellar' credit.

This led to the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008, the very unpopular bank bailouts, Henry Paulsen, and the disconnect widening between Wall Street, Washington, and Main Street.

The estimates are that nearly $1 Trillion in Alt-A mortgages are up for resets over the next 30 months. That's including several mortgages that are wrapped up in Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs).

So what do you do now if you are lucky enough to have a secure mortgage, a great job, and a healthy IRA or 401(k)? Invest your IRA in Real Estate.

Take advantage of the foreclosures, pre-foreclosures, bank owned properties, and more with money from your IRA and 401(k).

These issues surrounding the Alt-A crash, as well as the tremors that still remain with the previous mortgage crash of 2008, show the current instability of the existing stock market and the 'rally' of 2009.

The most important thing one can do in this time is to make sure they diversify their investments.
Don't' think that things are back where they were in 2006 and 2007. They aren't stable, people aren't employed and are still losing their jobs. Home prices are the lowest they have been in 50 years, adjusted even for inflation.

Use this time to solidify yourself a wealthy IRA and a secure retirement. A retirement with dignity. A retirement where you can work because you want to, not because you have to.