Global central banks, the International Monetary Fund, the U.S. Congress and financial regulators, have thoroughly investigated the causes of the crisis and promised changes that will prevent such near disasters from ever happening again.

FORBES: Great Depression Part Deux Averted But Bubble Machine Still Blows

Home prices rose 23 percent in the first 10 months of 2012 and have doubled since bottoming out in 2008 during the global financial crisis, the International Monetary Fund said in a report last month.

NPR: Hong Kong Poor Living In Cages And Cubicles