At best, an increase in foreclosures takes a double-edged sword to the housing market. On the one hand, it means we may be inching toward stabilization, as shadow inventory begins to move through the pipeline. On the other, it spells more stress for beleaguered homeowners and puts downward pressure on home prices. ... Continue Reading »

WASHINGTON -- The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home-price index released Tuesday showed that prices dropped in January from December in 16 of 19 cities tracked. The steepest declines were in San Francisco, Atlanta and Portland. Prices increased in Miami, Phoenix and Washington. Price information for Charlotte was ... Continue Reading »

While picking up some prescriptions recently, my local pharmacist, who knows I write about home construction, asked me if I had any suggestions for how he should build his new house. Since I'm a big advocate for prefab, I suggested that he consider building his house modular. His response shocked me: "I wouldn't want to ... Continue Reading »

WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes rose in January to the highest level in nearly two years, supporting the view that the housing market is gradually coming back. The National Association of Realtors said Monday that its index of sales agreements rose 2 percent last month to a ... Continue Reading »

In the wake of the housing bust, almost 1 in 4 working families spend more than half their income on housing costs, according to a new study. The study by the Center for Housing Policy found that both homeowners and renters continue to struggle with housing costs since the market tanked in 2008. Between 2008 and 2010, ... Continue Reading »

Scott Hostetler didn't bother to tell his family that he'd applied online to have their house in Buena Park, Calif., turned into an advertising billboard for the price of their monthly mortgage payment. He figured that it was like taking a chance on the lottery -- and who ever expects to win the lottery? Then, about ... Continue Reading »

WASHINGTON -- The average rate on the 30-year-fixed mortgage fell this week to a record low, the ninth time that has happened in the last year. But even with the cheapest rates in history, the housing market remains depressed. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan dropped to 3.87 ... Continue Reading »

How much residents of each state owe on their mortgages is an interesting statistic. For the most part, residents of the states with the highest average mortgage debt are not in trouble. While the average home price in these states dropped in value during the recession, the foreclosure rates in these states are among the ... Continue Reading »

It seemed like a race to the bottom this year: Along with continued declines in property values, every season seemed to see another record low in interest rates -- though fewer-than-expected buyers were inclined to take advantage. Also on the way down or stuck in the cellar: the number of Americans who expected to ... Continue Reading »

NEW YORK -- If the U.S. economy does not suffer more setbacks, the rate of mortgage holders behind on their payments should decline significantly by the end of next year, according to credit reporting agency TransUnion. Mortgage delinquency rates -- the ratio of borrowers 60 or more days behind on their payments -- will ... Continue Reading »

Is it possible that the housing crisis is really just a problem caused by our state of mind, not the state of the economy? Is the thing stopping people from buying houses nothing more than their perceptions? Apparently, to some extent, yes. We are having what, if economists talked like this, could be described as an ... Continue Reading »

Think the high-end of the market hasn't been felled by the economic downturn? Guess again. Here's a lovely four-bedroom contemporary home in Malibu, Calif., that is now being offered as a short sale with a recent price drop of $1 million. Ouch. The 5,000-square-foot home is now listed at $2.85 million, subject to the ... Continue Reading »

WASHINGTON -- Congressional bargainers have agreed to increase the size of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration in a compromise being hailed by the housing industry but criticized by conservatives. Under the deal by House and Senate negotiators, the FHA would be able to insure mortgages worth up to ... Continue Reading »

Discussion of the housing crisis took up a significant chunk of Wednesday's GOP primary debate, with candidates expressing their views on the sluggish market and how they aim to fix it. Until Wednesday, housing had been something of a ghost issue this primary season. But with 4 million homeowners delinquent on their ... Continue Reading »

WASHINGTON -- Home prices dropped in nearly three quarters of U.S. cities over the summer, dragged down by a decline in buyer interest and a high number of foreclosures. The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that the median price for previously occupied homes fell in the July-September quarter in 111 out of ... Continue Reading »