The "other" real estate shoe is going to drop with a BIG thud!

Earlier this year we predicted that 100 banks would fail this year.

That prediction was categorically dismissed by many "experts" who thought it was too pessimistic when in fact our prediction on bank failures was too low.

Are these same experts going to downplay the other loan "shoe" that will have a potentially devastating effect on the financial viability of many banks in the United States? Maybe. But you can count on Daria and I to tell it like it is.

It is estimated that more than $6 billion dollars of loans backed by commercial properties have been written off by banks in the past two years.

We predict that figure will grow very sharply as billions of additional lended dollars come due.

Through the end of 2013, it is estimated that almost $1.5 TRILLION of commercial mortgage-backed securities and bank loans are scheduled to mature.

Needless to say, real estate loans are the most prominent area of risk for banks over the next couple of years.

The problem is that just like residential property values, the value of commercial real estate has plummeted over the past year.

Moody's commercial real estate price index is down almost 40% from its peak.

Unless there is a miraculous turn-around in our economy FAST (not likely)...that downward trend will continue and put many more banks at risk.

Just one more reason to re-confirm that all of your bank accounts qualify for FDIC protection and watch for warning signs that your bank might be in trouble.

Read More In: Banking