Manic Positive Side of Housing Mess

By Kevin Chiu In what seems like the manic side of the housing mess, young couples are sometimes finding themselves as the lucky beneficiaries of the foreclosure crisis. Take Adam and Lindsey Blackmon of Newport News, Virginia for example. The couple wasn’t even shopping for a home when they couldn’t help but notice a two-year… Continue reading Manic Positive Side of Housing Mess

Courts May Decide Housing Market Future

By Mike Colpitts Hundreds of lawsuits winding their way through courtrooms in the U.S. could ultimately determine the future of the housing market in America. A major case involving the attempted foreclosure of a home in Utah could produce a court precedent on which other cases could stand. Courts are hearing cases over foreclosure challenges… Continue reading Courts May Decide Housing Market Future

Hurricane Storm Surge Poses $300 Billion in Home Losses

By Mike Colpitts Hurricane driven storm property damage in ten major urban areas along the Atlantic and U.S. Gulf coastlines would exceed $300-billion in home losses, according to an assessment by a real estate research firm. It’s the second annual assessment by Core Logic, developed to enhance understanding of the heightened risk storm surge damage… Continue reading Hurricane Storm Surge Poses $300 Billion in Home Losses

Foreclosures Fall Seven Straight Months, But Still at Crisis Level

By Kevin Chiu Hampered by internal bank and mortgage servicing company delays, foreclosure notices fell to a 40 month low in April, declining 9% from the prior month and 34% from a year ago. The slowdown represented the seventh straight month of delays in the foreclosure crisis as a result of the moratorium put in… Continue reading Foreclosures Fall Seven Straight Months, But Still at Crisis Level

Mortgage Rates Fall Two Weeks

By Mike Colpitts Mortgage rates fell for the second consecutive week as spring time weather gripped most of the nation to provide a boost for the home buying season, according to Freddie Mac. The rate on a fixed rate 30-year mortgage dropped to 4.71% from 4.78% the previous week. The rates on a 15-year fixed… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Fall Two Weeks

States Outlaw Extra Home Sale Charges

By Kevin Chiu Washington State became the twenty-fifth state in the country to outlaw extra home sale charges to the new owners of homes for 99 years. The action means that half of all U.S. states have now outlawed private transfer fees by adopting new state laws prohibiting their collection. But a federal effort to… Continue reading States Outlaw Extra Home Sale Charges

Mortgage Rates Jump 3 Straight Weeks

By Kevin Chiu Mortgage rates jumped higher for the third straight week as home buyers became skittish about making purchase decisions amid international unrest and doubts about the U.S. economy, according to Freddie Mac. The jump in interest rates on the bench mark 30-year fixed rate loan moved ever closer to 5% at 4.86%, five… Continue reading Mortgage Rates Jump 3 Straight Weeks

Home Price Index Shows Six Month Drop

By Mike Colpitts Home prices dropped for six straight months in the U.S., declining by 5.7% on average in January compared to a year earlier, despite the federal governments home buyer tax credit, according to Core Logic. The real estate research firm gathers mortgage data for the lending industry. The drop represented a 1% higher… Continue reading Home Price Index Shows Six Month Drop

Donald Trump Runs for President

By Mike Colpitts The political winds that got the U.S. into the financial mess may actually have a chance to change. Donald Trump has all but announced he’s running for president. The real estate mogul is starting to work the TV talk show circuit in preparation for a June announcement that he will compete against… Continue reading Donald Trump Runs for President