Mar 11th, 2010 · Remember those complicated bonds full of home mortgages? The ones that almost brought down the economy? A team of NPR reporters used $1,000 of their own money to buy a tiny piece of one — and plan to track it until it dies.
Mar 4th, 2010 · Despite low mortgage interest rates, many homeowners are not refinancing. Falling home prices mean current owners have little equity and are nervous about trying — and failing — to get a loan approved. The Obama administration has extended a program to make refinancing easier.
Feb 26th, 2010 · The cost of stabilizing the housing market continues to grow, as Fannie Mae sought another $15 billion in federal assistance after posting another big quarterly loss. The mortgage finance company, seized by federal regulators in September 2008, said it lost $16.3 billion in the fourth quarter.
Feb 24th, 2010 · The Obama administration's foreclosure prevention plan, the Home Affordable Modification Program ("HAMP"), offers subsidies to the financial industry to modify mortgages — but hasn't been enough. Brad Miller suggests FDR's 1933 HOLC model would work just as good today.
Feb 16th, 2010 · Since the housing market crash, two-thirds of registered mortgage brokers have lost their jobs. Now in new career fields, two former brokers look back on their role in the mortgage and foreclosure crisis with a mix of regret and resentment.
Jan 26th, 2010 · Thad Salter's home is now worth less than half of its 2006 purchase price of $300,000. Even after his bank modified his mortgage, Salter wondered whether it would be better to walk away from the loan. At least one law professor says he should do just that.
Jan 22nd, 2010 · Despite the bad job market, demand for U.S. home loans rose last week for the third straight week. An industry group says home ownership is being helped by low mortgage rates, which fell again to a one-month low. They're below 5 percent in some areas for 30 year fixed rate loans.
Jan 15th, 2010 · JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s earnings rose more than four-fold to $3.28 billion in the last three months of 2009, but the results released Friday were tempered by rising loan losses at its consumer bank. It warned that defaults on mortgages and other loans may not have peaked.