Mortgages

After a long absence, first-time buyers are finally returning to the real estate market.

January 25, 2016 - Bloomberg Business

Dina ElBoghdady and Dan Keating report on the state of the real estate market as it concerns the wealthiest Americans—times are good if you are wealthy and looking to borrow money to buy a home.

November 10, 2014 - The Washington Post

Scott Beyer writes that despite changes to policies allowing insured mortgages by the Federal Housing Administration's (FHA), the federal government continues to obstruct density by limiting support for condo owners.

October 30, 2014 - Governing

Laurie Goodman and Jun Zhu explain the complicated but critical controversy over the Federal Housing Finance Agency's (FHFA) recent policy for sunsets on loan put-backs. At stake: the ongoing constraints on lending in the United States.

October 14, 2014 - Housing Wire

As housing prices increase on the post-recession wave, many experts are asking people to reconsider the dream of buying and owning a home, especially if that means sinking too deeply in debt or sacrificing mobility.

February 5, 2014 - CBC News

If the market demand is there, why isn't more mixed-use housing getting built? Follow the money.

June 27, 2013 - Tim Halbur

Although the Obama Administration has supported a reduced role for the government in supporting the housing market, it still backs 90 percent of newly issued mortgages - "more than ever before." A new report examines the prospect of a withdrawal.

March 1, 2013 - The New York Times

A series of seemingly intractable obstacles stand in the way of transforming the housing and mortgage markets to reduce government involvement. Peter Eavis asks if a second term president is exactly the force needed to overcome such obstacles.

November 9, 2012 - The New York Times

Amanda Erickson explains how communities could wield the power of eminent domain to rescue residents with "underwater" mortgages, by condemning homes and allowing owners to refinance their mortgages and pay a new, lower rate.

August 14, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

Starting in 2002, the Colorado legislature began to make it easier to foreclose on properties in Colorado. Original loan documents are no longer required to prove the bank actually owns the property.

October 1, 2011 - The Denver Post

Data from the Census shows that 36.7% of U.S. households pay more than 30% of their pretax income on housing, an increase of 1.5 million since 2007.

October 3, 2010 - The Wall St. Journal

The Wall St. Journal reports that some homeowners are selling their underwater homes at a loss and turning right around and investing in new homes with lower mortgage rates and getting more house in the process.

July 28, 2010 - The Wall St. Journal

A recent survey from UNLV suggests that 40% of the residents of the Las Vegas metropolitan area would prefer to leave the state.

April 1, 2010 - Las Vegas Sun

The housing market -- and especially the exurban housing market -- played a major role in bringing about the current economic recession, according to this piece from Christopher Leinberger. He says sprawl is unlikely to regain its lost value.

January 28, 2010 - The New Republic

Willingness to default on home loans has been found to increase in ZIP codes with high foreclosure rates, leaving foreclosure-heavy Las Vegas in danger.

August 8, 2009 - The Las Vegas Sun

The Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal Housing Administration are looking to increase energy efficiency incentives for homeowners, including opportunities for larger home loans.

July 28, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

President Barack Obama has announced a $75 billion plan to help counteract home foreclosures -- a move that aims to allow more than 9 million Americans to refinance their troubled mortgages.

February 18, 2009 - The New York Times

Banks and financial institutions are making the foreclosure crisis worse, as lobbying efforts seek to block bankruptcy courts from gaining more power to reduce debt, according to this article from Der Spiegel.

February 17, 2009 - Der Spiegel

Officials in Mexico are looking to crack down on rampant police corruption with an unlikely carrot: mortgages.

October 7, 2008 - Associated Press

The on-going foreclosure and subsequent credit crisis should offer important lessons for housing policy and public policy more broadly. Chief among these lessons might be the falsity of the notion that government regulation is always bad. But some conservative commentators cling to the dogma that government intervention is the root of all evil. An explanation being offered by some is that government intervention in the form of Community Reinvestment Act encouraged irresponsible lending and led to the subsequent housing bust.

September 23, 2008 - Lance Freeman