With the first presidential debate of the 2012 election set to kick off Wednesday, Americans may soon get a clearer picture of where President Barack Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney stand on housing and a better sense of the policies that they might implement.
The 11 million people whose mortgages are underwater and the 9 million who have received foreclosure notices since the housing crisis began are sure to pay close attention to the candidates' proposals. But sharp interest in their plans won't stop there: Other large swaths of voters, including homebuilders, Realtors and investors, are also holding their breath.
To get a sense of their concerns, AOL Real Estate spoke to six Americans from different backgrounds who have a whole lot riding on the next administration's approach to housing. Click through our gallery to learn about the changes that they are hoping for in the next presidential term.
This article was originally posted by Teke Wiggin at AOL Real Estate.