A swath of green is covering the real estate industry. Florida, Nevada and Michigan are the states experiencing the greatest problems with mortgage foreclosures, according to a study and report by the Mortgage Asset Research Institute, LLC, for the Mortgage Bankers Association.
"The current market conditions, compounded by mortgage fraud, are having a detrimental impact on […]

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Many homebuyers, particularly first-time buyers, are very happy to see home prices dropping in their local market. However, they now face tougher requirements in finding mortgage financing for their newly purchased residence. Mortgage interest rates have been generally rising, with occasional downward dips as was recently experienced. But they are still very low, compared with […]

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The proposal to decrease conforming mortgage loan limits from the current level of $417,000 has been squelched by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight. Any amount over that limit is considered a "jumbo" loan, since it is not salable to the major secondary buyers of mortgages thus making them more expensive for borrowers.
Leading real […]

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A few years ago, an Islamic home buyer would have found it almost impossible to get a mortgage compliant with Islam’s sharia law, which prevents the faithful from paying interest.
Today, sharia-compliant loans are a growing market. In a report last month, credit-rating agency Moody’s Investors Service said the global Islamic finance market has increased about […]

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Federal prosecutors announced 19 indictments Monday in a mortgage scheme that stole nearly $13 million in home equity and victimized more than 100 home owners.
Under the scam, home owners facing foreclosure were promised lower home payments and cash up-front if they agreed to add another name to their home’s title. The victims were led to […]

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After about a year of dealing slowly and reluctantly with short sale offers, many banks are reconsidering, looking for solutions that will allow them to recoup debt in foreclosure situations.
Observers say that if the trend continues, it will reduce or eliminate the need for taxpayer bailouts.
The National Short Sale Center, which helps short buyers negotiate […]

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Calif. median home price - January 08: $430,370
Calif. highest median home price by C.A.R. region January 08: Santa Barbara So. Coast $1,135,000
Calif. lowest median home price by C.A.R. region January 08: High Desert $234,310
Calif. First-time Buyer Affordability Index - Third Quarter 07: 33 percent
(Source: C.A.R.)  
Mortgage rates - week ending 03/13/08 30-yr. fixed: 6.13% Fees/points: […]

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A swath of green is covering the real estate industry. Florida, Nevada and Michigan are the states experiencing the greatest problems with mortgage foreclosures, according to a study and report by the Mortgage Asset Research Institute, LLC, for the Mortgage Bankers Association.
"The current market conditions, compounded by mortgage fraud, are having a detrimental impact on […]

Posted in Lending, Real Estate No Comments »

 With Bear Stearns Cos.’ temporary rescue in place, the $200 billion subprime crisis joins the history of government bailouts to preserve jobs, homes and savings when economic disaster looms.
Ever since Treasury Secretary William Gibbs McAdoo shut the New York Stock Exchange for four months in 1914, to prevent foreign investors from cashing out and throwing […]

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In an effort to boost market liquidity, the Federal Reserve lowered the discount rate to 3.25 percent from 3.5 percent and launched a new lending program through which money will be moved from securities dealers to the securitization markets.
The effort — the latest attempt to stabilize prices of bonds backed by residential loans as delinquencies […]

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