Short Sales: A tough road (from 6/2008)

From the Los Angeles Times
Short sales: A tough road
As an alternative to foreclosures, short sales are on the rise, but they can test the patience of all involved: sellers, buyers, banks.
By Diane Wedner
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

June 15, 2008

RESIDENTIAL short sales sound like a picnic: Owners need to sell their homes for less than they owe, lenders forgive the difference and buyers grab a good deal.

If only. This is one picnic that requires a lon...

Things to know about the Federal First-Time home buyers tax credit

First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit: 6 Things to Know
February 17, 2009 06:19 PM ET By Luke Mullins
 
While the proposed $15,000 home-buyer tax credit died in negotiations between the House and the Senate, the $787 billion stimulus bill that President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday includes a similar--albeit smaller--measure designed to help revive the real estate market. Here are six things you need to know about the freshly-enacted $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit. <...

Has housing found a floor?

IRWIN KELLNER

Has housing found a floor?
Commentary: Stability is just around the corner
By Irwin Kellner, MarketWatch

Last update: 5:27 a.m. EST March 3, 2009

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (MarketWatch) -- Home prices are closer to stabilizing today than at any time in the past nine years.

Based on the latest data, median selling prices for new and existing homes combined now equal 2.9 times median household incomes, nationwide. This is exactly the ratio that...