Broad legislation stemming from 2010’s “robo signing” foreclosure scandal may lead to the first case of mortgage write-downs since the housing market declined in 2008. According to a report from Reuters, negotiations between state attorneys general, federal regulators and

The housing market is a grand, influential sector of the global economy, one that ebbs and flows with overall economic performance. But even though the message remains consistent – fix housing, fix the economy – very few of the

Redfin, the online real estate brokerage based in Seattle, has raised $14.8 million this venture round, led by new investor Globespan Capital Partners. That brings the virtual brokerage’s total financing to roughly $46

David Woolley, a California licensed land surveyor and certified fraud examiner, is leading a new study in tandem with the Harbinger Analytics Group Real Estate Fraud Experts on the recently disbanded company, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS).  The topic

The Troubled Asset Relief  Program, or TARP, was a $750 billion infusion of cash into the U.S. financial sector, namely to banks addled by derivatives and other financial products. The largest recipients of TARP – Citibank, JPMorgan Chase, Wells

What good are low mortgage rates if nobody can take advantage of them? That’s the main question of a recent piece by Derek Kravitz, an Associated Press economics writer. Though rates are at historical lows, underwater homeowners – a quarter

Though the Pending Home Sales Index declined in September,  activity remains above a year ago, according to data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). A forward-looking indicator that is based on contract signings, the index fell 4.6 percent

The Bipartisan Policy Center has announced a new, bipartisan Housing Commission tasked with conducting a top-down analysis of the U.S. housing market and its long term trends. Co-chaired by two former U.S. Senators and two former heads of the

After four straight months of declines, new single-family home sales in September were up 5.7 percent from August, an increase from 296,000 units to 316,000 units, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing

Two senators are proposing a remarkably simple idea to foreigners to spur housing investment – buy a house, get a visa. It may seem coy, but the proposal by Sens. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) and Mike Lee (R., Utah) really does

In a late hour vote, the Senate approved by a 60-38 margin a measure to expand federal loan limits and return government-backed loans to the $729,750 that had been in effect the last three

After literally months of deliberation, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has announced that it is eliminating several restrictions to the government’s Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) to allow more delinquent homeowners to refinance their mortgages. Beginning with passive references

For years, renting was seen as the more cost-effective alternative to owning, and generally, the viewpoint made sense. Renting lacks the property taxes, upkeep and other fees that often come with owning a home, and the skyrocketing prices of

A new Senate bill introduced Wednesday hopes to add another factor in the underwriting process in the form of energy costs, according to a new report from Housing Wire’s Jon Prior. Introduced by Senators Michael Bennet (D-Col.) and Johnny

According to the National Association of Home Builders, builder confidence for single family new home construction rose four points in October, the largest single-month gain since the home buyer tax credit stimulated buyers in April of 2010. Builders’ confidence

Efficiency in running a business How to effectively run a business has been a major topic of debate for decades. As businesses have evolved, so has that debate. Some believe that in-person, face-to-face interaction is the best way to