It's still too early to tell for certain, but America's housing boom may be showing signs of slowing down significantly. One indication is that U.S. consumers have been acquiring less debt in recent years and seem to be more nervous about acquiring more debt in the near future, judging by the results of a recent Experian-Gallup Poll.

That debt doesn't include first mortgage debt, which is unavoidable and has continued to increase significantly over the last few years due to rising prices. Some of those price rises have been dramatic, and even startling, such as a doubling of the median price of homes in Los Angeles County in the four-year period between 2002 and 2006. For the first time in history, the median price in LA County rose above the half million dollar mark, hitting $506,000. Although the rises in most areas of the United States have been far less spectacular, the fact remains that most home buyers are paying significantly more for their mortgages than they would have just a few years ago.

The poll, called Experian-Gallup Personal Credit Index survey, indicated that more than 70% of American consumers surveyed thought the country