The internet has made us see bigger as better, faster as better and international as better. Sometimes they are. One long-term result of the credit crisis may be a reversal of this thinking when it comes to finances at the community level. For many reasons, we may see increased strength at the local lending level. Not just 100-mile meals, but 100-mile money.

Community-based investment and funding for local small businesses and property owners is suffering during the credit crunch, but it was not that supportive before hand. The power of micro-lending and similar community-driven financing has been proven around the world. It will find its way to North American communities. Right now, we're too financially raw for details, but this is a topic we'll expand on here over time.

In Reverse Mortgages, non-traditional financing is an important theme. Local lending, inter-family financing and peer-to-peer investing are examples of how to fund reverse mortgages and how these financial, lifestyle and wealth management tools can be put to work for more than the property owners. Rather than repeat the details, here are two readings on the subject to start you off:

• Chapter 3: Variations on a Theme, "More on Variations," page 46 to 50
  

• Chapter 8: Evolution, Not Revolution, "What's Next," page 145 to 147