The federal government announced new initiatives on Friday to help people who are having trouble paying their mortgages. Here are some questions and answers about the efforts.
Q.I am currently unemployed. What sort of mortgage payment reduction can I qualify for?
A.The company servicing your mortgage will be required to offer at least three, and up to [...]

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How are your NCAA brackets doing? If you are like me, it doesn’t look good. Well now, it’s time to move on and fill out your 2010 Worst Company in America bracket. Follow this link to see the results that consumers like you voted on.
I’m looking forward to the match up between [...]

Believe it or not, new condos are stilling coming on line these days. The latest: ‘The Signal Building.’
From the article:
South Boston’s new Signal Building hosts 75 condos carved out of the 110-year-old former Signal Industries factory site. … The result: 47 market-rate condos, 24 spaces for artists to live and work and four affordable units [...]

The goal of the Federal Reserve was to purchase mortgage backed securities in order to provide support to the mortgage and housing markets. Since the inception of the program in January 2009, the Fed has spent over $1 trillion in the agency mortgage backed security market, which is basically all of the money it was [...]

The number of Boston luxury condos priced $1,000,000 or above under agreement on MLS – 45.

Comparing Boston condo sales from 2006 – 2010 for March 1st through March 25th.
2006 – Number of Boston condo sales 701
2007 – Number of Boston condo sales 771
2008 – Number of Boston condo sales 564
2009 – Number of Boston condo sales 451
2010 – Number of Boston condo sales 604
File under: Through the Looking-Glass. … “it [...]

The Big Picture Blog has an interesting post on how Washington is pushing mortgage modifications and foreclosure abatements, which only amounts to “extend & pretend” outcomes:
I have been dismayed about the latest actions out of Washington and Wall Street. The banks are now pushing all manner of mortgage mods and foreclosure abatements. These are little [...]

Boston neighborhoods and the number of sales – 2010:
Back Bay Condos 2010 – 93 sold.
Back Bay Condos 2009 – 55 Sold.
Beacon Hill Condos 2010 – 29 sold.
Beacon Hill Condos 2009 – 20 sold.
Charlestown Condos 2010 – 38 sold.
Charlestown Condos 2009 – 19 sold.
Dorchester Condos 2010 – 130 sold.
Dorchester condos 2009 – 110 sold.
Fenway Condos 2010 [...]

The guys over at ThinkBigWorkSmall talk about the fact that Bank of America is now reducing mortgage principal on some loans. Does that seem fair?
Another clip on the video shows how mortgage fraud is down from 2007, new home sales are also down. Hmm … Coincidence?
Real Estate Video

A top economic analysis firm said Massachusetts is pulling out of the recession and making an economic recovery.
Moody’s Economy.com said the state actually started recovering in January, buoyed by a strengthening housing market.
Gus Faucher, director of macroeconomics at Moody’s Economy.com, told The Boston Globe that the makeup of the Massachusetts economy has helped it emerge [...]