Real Estate and Housing

Fannie Mae Announces 2009 Benchmark Securities(R) Issuance Calendar

Fannie Mae today announced that its 2009 Benchmark Securities® issuance calendar is available on its Web site at http://www.fanniemae.com. The calendar is designed to assist investors and other market participants in incorporating Fannie Mae Benchmark Securities into their ongoing investing, trading, hedging and financing strategies.

Who Will Own Fannie, Freddie Next — FHLBs?

In one of the more unusual marriages that could result from the financial crisis, buzz is growing that the Federal Home Loan banks might purchase the government-controlled Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Mortgage applications skyrocket in week

WASHINGTON, Dec. 3 (UPI) -- The volume of applications for U.S. mortgages jumped 112.1 percent last week, due to a big drop in interest rates, an industry group said.

More Economic Doom And Gloom

According to newly released data, U.S. jobs are still taking a hit, along with the services sector.

APPLAUSE

Mathew Iwashko, ecobroker and managing broker with Fort Collins-based 3rd Rock Realty, has become Colorado's first Realtor to earn the National Association of Realtors Green Designation. The designation provides real estate professionals with the knowledge and awareness of green building principles so they can list, market and manage green properties as well as guide buyer-clients in purchasing ...

Mortgage Applications Surge by Record Amount

U.S. mortgage applications surged by the largest amount on record last week as a new Federal Reserve program pushed interest rates down to their lowest level in more than 3 years, data from an industry group showed on Wednesday.

Valley housing recovery on track

Phoenix market passes one measure of test.

Home Foreclosures Continue, Despite Bank's 'Freeze'

Homebuilders shrink American dream, spark wrath

Builders desperate to put up smaller, cheaper homes are incurring extra expense and customers' wrath by redesigning communities, even when people are already living in them.

Brown's brief agenda stokes 2009 election talk

Vowing to shield Britons from the economic downturn, Prime Minister Gordon Brown laid out a populist — but brief — agenda on Wednesday that stoked expectations he would call a national election next year.

U.S. MBA’s Mortgage Applications More Than Doubled Last Week

Dec. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Mortgage applications in the U.S. surged by a record last week as lending rates plunged after the Federal Reserve pledged to buy mortgage-backed debt.

Private jobs and services slump show recession toll

Private employers slashed an unexpectedly high 250,000 jobs in November, the biggest cut in seven years, while the service sector, which powers most of the economy, posted its worst slump on record.

A clean set of wheels

For a century the petrol engine has remained largely unchallenged, seeing off all pretenders to its crown. But with dangerous climate change on the horizon and a host of contenders looming large in the rear view mirror, is the petrol engine about to be overtaken by a new fleet of cleaner, leaner rivals?

What Fed, Treasury May Do Next to Ease Credit Crisis

The heads of the Fed and Treasury are signaling that they plan to take more steps to ease credit and jump-start the economy.