Ohio is one of six states to receive a grant to study the social, health and ecomonic effects of recent Federal foreclosure prevention efforts. The study will assess the outcome of Federal Hardest Hit Fund allocations. …read more

During a nomination hearing with the Senate Banking Committee, Fed chair nominee Janet Yellen evokes the stock market when talking about quantitative easing. Here’s why that seemingly minor connection is actually pretty huge. …read more

It’s difficult for borrowers looking to fund a second-home purchase to find a lender willing to lend to them — especially if the mortgage is considered a jumbo loan, above current conforming lending limits. Per the WSJ, lenders aren’t willing to let borrowers blur lines between vacation homes and investment properties. …read more

Mortgage lender Greystone Funding Corp. found a weakness in the firm’s noncompete agreement, as a former employee was allowed to strike out on his own and compete with his former employer. …read more

US Real Estate Prices UpNuWire InvestorNAR data show that inventory is lowest in Oakland, San Jose, Stockton and San Francisco, California, along with Denver, in which real estate in all locations is on the market for 48 days or less. For more on this continue reading the following article … and more …read more

By Ryan Lundquist The unemployment rate for the past two months was finally published, so I hope to get you up to speed today. If you didn’t know, the government shutdown set EDD back, so that is what caused the delay. Here are a few graphs to not only see the job market in action, […]

New leadership at the Federal Housing Finance Agency with bring new policies. Plus, a pioneer securitization deal may help deliver green energy to more homes across the nation. …read more

A China Triangle: Bitcoin, Baidu, and BeijingForbesChina, in the last few weeks, has gone crazy over the cryptocurrency, which is now accepted by Chinese online retailers, a Shanghai real estate developer, and traders in Tiananmen Square. Perhaps you want a latte in Zhongguancun? Yes, you can use … and more …read more

By drhousingbubble For most of the year, housing inventory was steadily increasing across the nation. In California, it appeared that inventory hit a bottom in February of this year. At that point, there were 109,000 homes available for sale. The latest figures going out to October showed 127,000 homes available for sale and this was […]

Bootstrap Startup: Inside A $13K Restaurant OpeningForbesHe opened his first eatery for just $7,000 back in the early 1990s, after finding a neglected 7,000-square-foot space for just $350 a month in a Birmingham suburb. He converted part of the ample property into living space where he took up residence … …read more

Two homes have sold for close to $5 million each this year in Sacramento and Placer counties, reflecting an improvement in the market for luxury properties. …read more

Dan Walters: Pension problems persist for California citiesU-T San DiegoBut CalPERS’ assurances turned to dust when its relatively risky real estate and equity investments turned sour, costing tens of billions of dollars. Finally, as CalPERS’ … Bankrupt Stockton’s largest debt is a pension bond. Some cities have … …read more

As the Federal Housing Finance Agency is moving ahead with plans to see Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac scale back their involvement in financing apartment-building loans, the agency is getting pushback from affordable housing advocates who see a market dependent heavily on the GSEs’ support. …read more

Efforts to delay sharp increases in some flood insurance premiums for consumers appears to be stuck at an impasse — legislation passed by Congress last year looks set to take effect despite efforts to delay the new law from taking effect by some on Capitol Hill. …read more

JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s (JPM) record $13 billion settlement with the U.S. government over past mortgage practices is undermining the current market, according to BlackRock Inc. (BLK). …read more

Vacant housing can be a problem — an all-too-present reminder of a neighborhood’s struggles, beyond telling squatters and others to consider taking up temporary shelter. The Wall Street Journal reports on an interesting approach being used to address blight. The answer? Decals. (Yes, really.) …read more

After The Gold Rush: Domain Names Have Lost Their GlitterForbesThe Ultimate Guide to Making Money on the Internet (Free Press 2012), who in 1994 wrote that “Domain names are the real estate of the Internet,” had flown in from Houston to be at the auction because one of his domain names – mutualfunds.com – was […]

Mortgage servicing right sales picked up speed during the fall, with MountainView Servicing Group announcing it is overseeing the sale of $901 million in mortgage servicing rights tied to a low risk portfolio of Fannie Mae loans. …read more

With Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., changing the voting threshold in the Senate for new presidential appointments, analysts are prepping investors for changes in HARP-eligibility requirements. …read more

Fannie and Freddie are still on the chopping block with many lawmakers wanting them gone, but reforming the two institutions is still a cause of debate in Washington D.C. …read more

Nine communities across America will receive a total of $4.37 million in grants to provide the neighborhoods with the resources to revitalize HUD-assisted housing and distressed areas. …read more

Third-party originated loans previously maintained a reputation for putting residential mortgage-backed securities investors at heightened risk, but times are changing and TPO loans originated after the financial crisis are now exhibiting the highest of performance standards. …read more

The foreclosure inventory rate is down almost 30% from last year, as the loan delinquency rate dropped 2.8% from last month to 6.28%. …read more

Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Exemplify The Horrors Of Crony CapitalismForbesWith the uptick in the economy and improvement in real estate markets, Fannie and Freddie have returned to profitability, with reported profits greatly exceeding the $18.8 billion dividend owed Treasury. Seeing a golden political opportunity,Treasury … and more …read more

Is Edward DeMarco, the current head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, now living on borrowed time? It appears so: rule changes put into play by the Senate Thursday will make it more difficult to block nominees, paving a road for Mel Watt’s confirmation as FHFA head. …read more