Category: News

Obama Moving Closer to Force Banks to Modify Mortgages

By Kevin Chiu U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is frustrated with bankers and mortgage servicing companies, and he might even be bordering on being angry with his former colleagues in the banking industry. Geithner’s clear stated frustrations are leading to growing speculation in Washington, D.C. that the Obama administration may be moving closer to forcing… Continue reading Obama Moving Closer to Force Banks to Modify Mortgages

Majority Intend to Buy Real Estate Soon

Almost 2 out of 3 respondents to the latest Housing Predictor opinion poll say they plan on buying a home or other real estate in the next two years, apparently feeling that the bottom of the housing market is falling into place. The large majority of respondents feel more confident about real estate values rising… Continue reading Majority Intend to Buy Real Estate Soon

Under Water Mortgage Borrowers Rescue on the Way

By Mike Colpitts In a new effort by the Obama administration millions of under-water home mortgage borrowers may be helped. The FHA program will provide refinancing on homes at least 10% under their worth, and could establish a new cornerstone in White House efforts to stem the growing foreclosure epidemic. The program demonstrates a major… Continue reading Under Water Mortgage Borrowers Rescue on the Way

White House Moves Against Bankers

In the first indication that growing public complaints are affecting White House policy in relationship to its housing rescue plan, the Obama administration is moving against bankers. The Treasury Department’s TARP chief Herb Allison announced new protections for homeowners who are in the mortgage modification process. The Troubled Assets and Relief Program chief made the… Continue reading White House Moves Against Bankers

Home Sales Decline Slightly

Sales of existing homes fell slightly in February for the third month in a row, according to the National Association of Realtors. The drop was only 0.6 percent nationally to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.02-million units. The decline in home sales demonstrates the slowdown in the housing market persists, despite government programs to re-ignite… Continue reading Home Sales Decline Slightly

Record 7.5 Million Homes in Default

More than a record 7.5 million residential mortgages are delinquent or in foreclosure, and one million other properties are either banked owned or are waiting to be resold, according to Lender Processing Services, Inc. the nation’s largest provider of mortgage data. The February report shows historic numbers, but also indicates that the pace of deterioration… Continue reading Record 7.5 Million Homes in Default

Housing Relief Gaining Momentum with Expansion of Efforts

Acknowledging that its housing relief rescue mission has been slow to respond to the foreclosure crisis, the government is expanding its efforts “to more effectively combat the ongoing effects of the housing crisis.” A new initiative announced by Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan seeks to find more ways that help local communities… Continue reading Housing Relief Gaining Momentum with Expansion of Efforts

Buying Ugly Houses

“We Buy Ugly Houses” has become the slogan of a franchise company that buys homes in distress. For more than 20 years Home Vestors has been getting homeowners out of trouble on their homes, buying more than 40,000 houses through its network of franchises. But the company best known for its’ television advertising campaigns reaching… Continue reading Buying Ugly Houses

Millions of Homeowners Could Receive Housing Aid

By Mike Colpitts Struggling to keep their housing rescue efforts alive, a senior Obama administration official admitted the administration has more work to do to help the growing number of homeowners at risk of foreclosure before a gathering of state housing finance agency officials in Washington. Michael Barr, the Treasury’s assistant secretary of financial institutions… Continue reading Millions of Homeowners Could Receive Housing Aid