CNNMoney

Homebuyers Clueless About Mortgages, Zillow Survey Finds" alt="Homebuyers Clueless About Mortgages, Zillow Survey Finds" />

By Les Christie The housing market is heating up, yet many house hunters are not prepared to take on the biggest purchases of their lives. When it comes to mortgages, homebuyers answered basic questions about terms, how to choose a lender and financing wrong nearly one-third of the time, according to an April survey ... Continue Reading »

Obama's Pick for Housing Agency Head Faces Big Headaches" alt="Obama's Pick for Housing Agency Head Faces Big Headaches" />

By James O'Toole The next head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency will have quite the task waiting. President Obama nominated Mel Watt, a Democratic congressman from North Carolina, this week to be the next head of the FHFA. Should Watt be confirmed by the Senate, he will play a critical role in shaping the future of ... Continue Reading »

Secret 'Pocket Listings' Return in Hot Housing Markets" alt="Secret 'Pocket Listings' Return in Hot Housing Markets" />

By Les Christie The housing rebound has given new life to an old, but little-known sales practice called "pocket listings," where agents reserve homes for serious buyers only. Most homes that are put up for sale are posted on databases called multiple listing services, on which agents share information with one ... Continue Reading »

Builders Hold Lotteries for Eager New Homebuyers" alt="Builders Hold Lotteries for Eager New Homebuyers" />

By Les Christie Demand among homebuyers is so high in some parts of the country that builders are holding lotteries to decide who gets to purchase homes in their developments. O'Brien Homes started holding a monthly housing lottery for its 228-unit development called Fusion in Sunnyvale, Calf., after seeing throngs ... Continue Reading »

Behind the Foreclosure Surge in New York, New Jersey" alt="Behind the Foreclosure Surge in New York, New Jersey" />

By Nin-Hai Tseng Just as many of us believe we've seen the worst of the housing market's collapse, two unlikely states are only now getting hit with a wave of foreclosures: New York and New Jersey. The region was largely spared when home prices disastrously tumbled in 2007. New York and New Jersey, with some of the ... Continue Reading »