on the bad — and worsening — loan problem:
“OVERALL loan quality at American banks is the worst in at least a quarter century, and the quality of loans is deteriorating at the fastest pace ever, according to statistics released this week by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
The report highlighted that even as the government [...]

Thousands of first-time homebuyers will be able to get short-term loans so they can quickly make use of a new $8,000 tax credit to pay for some of the costs of buying a home purchase.
The Federal Housing Administration on Friday released details of a plan in which borrowers who use FHA loans can get advances [...]

I’m late in blogging about this but there was an interesting article in Sunday Times Magazine on Bill Clinton. The part I found most intriguing was about the regulatory acts that the Clinton administration was responsible for:
“One thing that thrived during Clinton’s presidency, the economy, has wilted of late. The economic boom of the [...]

Attention Boston luxury condo sellers, you’ll like this story from the Boston Herald.
Former WCVB-TV Channel 5 anchor Natalie Jacobson has sold her condo in the South End’s toney Atelier 505 complex for just over $2 million.
Jacobson got $2.05 million for a unit she bought for $1.56 million in 2004, according to county records and the [...]

According to a national Trulia/Realty Trac Harris survey, there has been an increase in home buyer interest in Foreclosures. Many are first time home buyers making the leap into the housing market as prices become more affordable. Approximately 55% of adults surveyed said they are at least somewhat likely to consider buying a foreclosed home [...]

Back in November 29, 2005 Manny Ramirez put his Boston luxury penthouse condo up for sale for $6.9 million. Manny being Manny took the property off the market and re-listed it for $8.9 million. So what do you think, will Manny hit a home run and sell the Ritz penthouse or will he strikeout again.
Click [...]

If your willing to pay $2,123.75 per sq. ft. for a Boston condo, MLS has one listed at the Mandarin. 776 Boylston Street PH, MLS # 70832263. Listing agent – Tracy Campion.

From Bloomberg: Mortgage Delinquencies, Foreclosures Hit Records on Job Cuts
… The U.S. delinquency rate jumped to a seasonally adjusted 9.12 percent and the share of loans entering foreclosure rose to 1.37 percent, the Mortgage Bankers Association said today. Both figures are the highest in records going back to 1972.
The inventory of new and old [...]

The real-estate industry rejoiced when Housing Secretary Shaun Donovan told a Realtor conference earlier this month that the FHA was finalizing policies that would allow first-time buyers to apply an $8,000 tax credit towards the down payment of their home. The gist: The FHA would offer bridge loans that would allow buyers to get a [...]

Jumbo loans are hard to obtain:
The Realtors Association economist Lawrence Yun says the larger, jumbo loans needed to buy higher-end homes still aren’t available. “The Federal Reserve needs to help restore liquidity for the jumbo mortgage market by buying these loans under the TALF program,” he says