Category: Housing Market

Home Sales Fall Amid Growing Fears

By Kevin Chiu Existing home sales fell a slight 2.2% in May, but sales remain at a higher level than a year ago alleviating some fears about the housing market, according to the National Association of Realtors. The monthly report also showed a fall in the number of homes listed for sale, signaling an improving… Continue reading Home Sales Fall Amid Growing Fears

Hard Sell in Obama Housing Scorecard Debut

The White House is coming out with a hard sell to put its best face on the housing market in efforts to improve market conditions and win back voters, introducing a monthly scoreboard on the nation’s housing market. From the start, the program seems to be more like it’s out of the Roosevelt Great Depression… Continue reading Hard Sell in Obama Housing Scorecard Debut

Flooded Counties Outsource Foreclosure Sales

By Kevin Chiu As the foreclosure crisis hits its peak, counties across the country are flooded with default filings. Many can’t keep up with the record volume as county recorder offices drown in the massive onslaught. Especially hard hit counties are taking foreclosure sales off the courthouse steps, outsourcing them to auction services online. Some… Continue reading Flooded Counties Outsource Foreclosure Sales

Banks Won’t Help Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

By Mike Colpitts Fixing the nation’s giant mortgage lenders, troubled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, might take an act of Congress, but one of the mortgage industry’s chief lobbying groups says private banks won’t help the housing market. “A private model would be unable to attract the depth and breadth of capital needed to fund… Continue reading Banks Won’t Help Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Opinion Poll: Drop Mortgage Rates to Aid Housing Markets

Opinion Poll: Drop Mortgage Rates to Aid Housing Markets Slightly more than 3 out of 4 surveyed say lower mortgage interest rates would help the battered housing market, according to the latest Housing Predictor opinion poll. The online survey found the huge majority of those polled feel even lower interest rates would aid in the… Continue reading Opinion Poll: Drop Mortgage Rates to Aid Housing Markets

Housing Recovery Likely as Home Sales Rise

Applications to purchase home mortgages increased for the week marking the first rise in home sales since the federal government’s tax credit expired, indicating that a housing recovery is possible nationally as sales improve, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Refinancing also shot up. The Market Composite Index, a measure of mortgage loan application volume,… Continue reading Housing Recovery Likely as Home Sales Rise

New Law Forces Banks to Pay Up

By Kevin Chiu A new law that forces banks to pay up delinquent homeowner association fees, could signal the beginning of a national movement. The new state law, known as the Distressed Community Association Relief Act was signed by Florida Governor (R) Charlie Christ and is intended to help condo and homeowner associations that are… Continue reading New Law Forces Banks to Pay Up

Mortgage Fraud Crackdown Charges Record 1200 Perpetrators

By Mike Colpitts The U.S. Justice Department has charged more than 1,200 perpetrators with mortgage fraud in a major nationwide crackdown involving more than $2.3-billion in losses, stemming from the real estate collapse leading to the foreclosure crisis. The sweep represents the largest crackdown yet by law enforcement against perpetrators of white collar crime in… Continue reading Mortgage Fraud Crackdown Charges Record 1200 Perpetrators

Foreclosures Eclipse Record in 2009

A record 2.8–million U.S. properties had foreclosure filings filed against them in 2009, representing a 21% increase in the number over the previous year and 120% above 2007, according to RealtyTrac’s annual year-end report. The history breaking numbers closely match the Housing Predictor foreclosure forecast, which calls for a total of 17-million foreclosures in the… Continue reading Foreclosures Eclipse Record in 2009