Foreclosures Fall, and Why That's Bad News" alt="Foreclosures Fall, and Why That's Bad News" />

Bad news: The number of foreclosure actions taken by banks fell in January compared to the year before, according to the researchers at RealtyTrac. Foreclosures fall: bad news. Yes, you read that right. Banks seized fewer homes in January, and that's bad news for everyone. Here's how Rick Sharga, senior vice president ... Continue Reading »

Home Foreclosures Roll on at Record Rates" alt="Home Foreclosures Roll on at Record Rates" />

Foreclosure -- the beast that is eating the housing market -- barely paused in October, despite the latest housing scandal. Experts thought foreclosures might go into hibernation after lenders botched thousands of foreclosures with skipped steps and faulty documentation. In at least one case, a single bank official ... Continue Reading »

Mortgage Rates: Stimulus to Hold Them Low" alt="Mortgage Rates: Stimulus to Hold Them Low" />

Interest rates can't stay low forever -- but mortgage watchers now expect rates under 5 percent for the next year, thanks in part to "quantitative easing," the latest scheme from the Federal Reserve to stimulate the economy. The average rate on a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was just 4.23 percent with a 0.8 percent ... Continue Reading »

Foreclosure Listings: Same Cities in Top 10" alt="Foreclosure Listings: Same Cities in Top 10" />

After years of foreclosures and foreclosure auctions, why do the same few places still have the most foreclosures? The top 10 list of housing markets with the highest rates of foreclosure actions is almost exactly the same as it was last year, according to the third quarter list from RealtyTrac. Las Vegas is still ... Continue Reading »

Buying Foreclosures: Do You Own the Title?" alt="Buying Foreclosures: Do You Own the Title?" />

Suppose you bought a foreclosed house and moved in with your family. You loved your new home -- until this month, when news broke that major banks had screwed up thousands of foreclosures by rushing through the process. In at least one case, a single bank official signed as many as 8,000 foreclosures a month, falsely ... Continue Reading »