A joint task force is being launched by three federal agencies to combat fraudsters who claim they can save mortgages through the government's Home Affordable Modification Program,

The number of pending home sales increased in Miami during October, the Miami Association of Realtors reports.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that more than $40 million will be available for housing counseling programs that will help families find and keep affordable housing.

According to a report from Lender Processing Services, the number of national mortgage delinquencies fell during October.

A survey by the National Association of Realtors indicates most real estate professionals would encourage home sellers to list their homes over the holiday season rather than waiting, Inman News reports.

Las Vegas existing-home sales were 15.3 percent higher year-over-year this October, research firm DataQuick reports, in line with a trend of improvement in the city's real estate sector.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan recently revealed in Congressional testimony that the agency is considering an increase in premiums for mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).

A recent housing market report shows that owner occupancy rates of real estate-owned sales are dropping as more investors take advantage of bulk REO sales.

During recent years, New York City's housing market has continued to maintain consistent sales rates,

According to a report from Radar Logic, home prices edged lower during the last year ending in September.

Homebuying may see a sharp rise as 2011 comes to an end, as a recent report from Freddie Mac showed that mortgage rates are continuing to hang around record low levels.

The home construction industry experienced a modest bump in activity during October, as a recent report from the U.S. Department of Commerce showed that housing construction improved slightly.

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that the unemployment rate for the United States dropped in November.

Many homeowners nationwide are looking for ways to save money around the holiday season. Popular methods for conserving cash typically include cutting back on giftbuying or spending less on groceries.

A recent report indicates that, while GSEs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are taking steps to help their borrowers make lower monthly payments, the FHA will not follow suit.

Potential homeowners may need to investigate how the recent economy has affected their credit scores to better understand their ability to qualify for a mortgage.

An analyst from Barclays Capital is anticipating a change in certain economic factors to lay the groundwork for a housing market rebound in 2012, HousingWire reports.

In wake of the robo-signing foreclosure scandal, the first state has filed a lawsuit against lenders that wrongfully foreclosed on homeowners using the automated process.

Similar to the real estate situations facing many other states nationwide, the housing market report for Missouri showed home sales and inventory fell in October while property values rose, the Missouri Association of Realtors reports.

Temporary relief will be provided to many homeowners nationwide this December and January, as Freddie Mac announced it will postpone most types of evictions due to foreclosure during the holidays.

The latest edition of the federal government's Beige Book - a barometer of economic conditions - showed that the economy witnessed slow growth, and the housing market has been inconsistent.

Two analysts at Goldman Sachs are saying that the end to the drop in home prices is within sight, reports The Wall Street Journal.

A number of foreclosure cases in New Jersey are awaiting a ruling by the state's Supreme Court that is due to be a landmark decision in the Garden State.

According to a recent report from Lender Processing Services, national home prices declined during September.

Connecticut attorney general George Jepsen and state banking commissioner Howard Pitkin want borrowers to apply for look-back foreclosure reviews using mortgage servicers.

Reuters reports that mortgage investor Vincent Fiorillo foresees a $100 billion price tag on the recovery of the mortgage crisis.

A recent report from CoreLogic showed home prices in the United States declined in October, which was the third month in a row that such a drop occurred.

A recent report from HomeGain showed that a sizable amount of borrowers and real estate professionals are confident that the current state of home prices will not change much during the next six months.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac completed nearly 2 million foreclosure prevention actions during the third quarter, a report by the Federal Housing Finance Agency indicates.

A study scheduled for publication in the University of Chicago Law Review indicates there are major differences between homeowners' insurance policies that many may not suspect, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Mortgage application activity and refinancing activity both increased after the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

A survey for November showed a positive outlook for the economy meanwhile a recent report says that consumer concerns have become more stable.

A joint effort between attorneys general in California and Nevada plans to assist homeowners who have been affected by fraud and misconduct in the mortgage industry.

An annual forecast from TransUnion anticipates the number of national mortgage delinquencies to increase before falling in 2012.

According to a report from the Florida Association of Realtors, the state could be heading towards a mini-recovery.

Home sales in the Beehive State continued to grow during October, marking the fifth-straight month sales improved from year-ago levels, the Utah Association of Realtors reports.

A recent report from the National Association of Home Builders showed that more regions are experiencing positive housing market conditions.

The most recent housing scorecard from the White House indicates that the nation's housing market had both positive and negative trends during November.

An ordinance has recently been passed in Las Vegas which makes lenders responsible for for the upkeep of vacant distressed properties, HousingWire reports.

A new executive director has been assigned to President Barack Obama's financial fraud enforcement task force, with the objective of cracking down on mortgage fraud, announced the Department of Justice.

Average fixed mortgage rates remain relatively unchanged and are still lingering around record lows, which is helping to keep housing affordability high for potential home buyers, according to a survey.

Speaking before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, members of the National Association of Realtors and Mortgage Bankers Association testified about reform of the secondary mortgage market.

According to the Federal Reserve's flow-of-funds report, residential mortgage debt and household debt both declined during the third quarter.

New legislation recently introduced to the Senate could wind down government involvement in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and turn in back to the private sector within 10 years.

Researchers from the Federal Reserve in New York have discovered that borrowers who owned multiple properties for investment purposes may have played a significant role in the housing market bust.

A recent report from the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors shows both home prices and sales in the region increased during the month of November.

Concerns about a lackluster economy and housing market are dwindling to end 2011, as a recent report from Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan showed consumer sentiment increased to its highest point in six months.

The current housing market has many homeowners wondering if they should sell before buying or buy before selling for fear of either being stuck with two mortgages or being left without a home, says a source.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has taken a step to provide consumers a way to report and dispute mortgage complaints through a new complaint hotline as an extension to the agency's current services for credit-related disputes.

Forbes magazine reports that Local Market Monitor's research reveal mixed expectations on the future of the housing market.

A report from the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University indicates the Phoenix area's foreclosure rate rose in November, the second monthly increase this year.

Housing industry stakeholders are concerned over proposals to pay for a payroll tax cut by increasing the guarantee fees charged by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which would increase the cost to mortgage lenders each time one of the entities bought a loan.

According to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac spent $953 million to maintain vacant homes during 2010.

Home prices may decline by 5 percent in the beginning of 2012, according to the latest North America securitized products research report from JPMorgan Chase.

Tapping into home equity can be a good idea for some homeowners, but before you go and withdraw a loan leveraged against your home's value, it's important to understand what you're getting yourself into.

According to housing data provider Clear Capital, the nation's top housing markets are still showing improvements, but growth is starting to slow.

A recent report from John Burns Real Estate Consulting indicated that the increasing amount of student loan debt will become another hurdle to homeownership in years to come.

A recent report from multiple listing service Realcomp showed that residential home sales in the Detroit area increased in November for the fifth straight month.

A recent survey of housing industry experts found that many do not expect the housing market to fully rebound until 2016, according to the Wall Street Journal.

According to a recent home value index from Zillow, home prices continued their decline in October.

Previously determined national home sale figures are going to be lowered dating back to 2007 due to slight oversight making them too high, reports USA Today.

According to recent reports, the housing market can expect a slow-grinding recovery during 2012, as a weak economy will continue to weight heavily on the marketplace for years to come, says the San Francisco Chronicle.

A recent report from the National Association of Realtors showed that the state of Vermont has the largest yards for their homes in the country.

Many people have tried to get help from one of the several help programs from the federal government, but this hasn't had the effect that was intended, as few have been helped, and those who have are not out of the woods yet, according to USA Today.

A recent report from RealyTrac indicates that foreclosure activity edged lower during November after years of elevated rates.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency recently announced it will postpone the implementation of the Uniform Loan Delivery Dataset (ULDD), part of the Uniform Mortgage Data Program that the agency has been moving forward with since May 2010.

The Massachusetts Association of Realtors announced that Realtor confidence rose for the fourth consecutive month when compared to this time last year.

According to a recent report from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, mortgage debt will continue to decrease in coming years, HousingWire reports.

The total number of mortgage applications saw a spike in activity during the week ending December 9, reports the Mortgage Bankers Association.

A recent projection from Freddie Mac predicts that economic growth will continue through 2012, but it will not be significant.

The Deloitte Consumer Spending Index fell in November, and the source reports that numbers are down because of the housing market.

Homelessness declined 2.1 percent between January 2011 and the year before, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently announced.

According to an economist from Trulia, the government missed it's golden opportunity to repair the housing market after the bubble burst in 2007, HousingWire reports.

The number of short sales completed in Orlando increased in November, causing a spike in the area's median home sale price, the Orlando Regional Realtor Association reports.

A recent report from DataQuick shows that the number of homes sold in Southern California increased in November on both a month-over-month and year-over-year basis.

A recent report from Freddie Mac showed that the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate matched its all-time lowest level, as it reached 3.94 percent for the week ending December 15.

A recent report from DataQuick showed Bay Area home sales increased in November for the fifth-straight month, when comparing year-over-year figures.

Some year-end real estate figures, as reported by HousingWire, suggest that a rise in home prices during November could be a sign of recovery and may lead to price stabilization for the housing market.

A new government effort to assist disgruntled homeowners with their relationship with their mortgage servicer has been launched by the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau.

A recent report from TD Economics noted that the American economy is doing better, but has not yet fully recovered from the effects of the recession.

The Golden State's housing market is showing signs of moderate growth as 2011 winds down.

A recent report shows that the number of housing delinquencies increased during the month of November.

Continuing a positive trend, builder confidence in the housing market once again increased in December, the National Association of Home Builders reports.

Coming up with a down payment can be the biggest challenge for some homebuyers, but in recent years more and more entry-level buyers are turning to friends and family to help them get started

A recent report from NeighborWorks America showed that those that received foreclosure counseling from the government-funded National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program were more likely to receive loan modifications.

A recent report from the National Association of Realtors revealed that there are some simple home remodel projects that really help improve the value of a home.

A recent sales report for the month of November indicates homebuyers kept the real estate market in Houston performing at a healthy level.

According to a recent report from BuildFax, as more homeowners opt to stay in their current homes rather than buy new property, the amount of home remodeling completed in October reached a record high.

A recent home sales report from RE/MAX indicates that the number of home sales in November saw a spike in activity.

The number of housing starts increased nationwide during November, climbing to the highest level seen in 2011, the Commerce Department reports.

A recent report from Moody's analytics predicted that the 2012 economic situation may be improved, but unemployment may not get much better.

A recent release from the deputy assistant of the U.S. Department of the Treasury recently warned that the European economic crisis could effect the American economy significantly.

A recent report completed jointly by Experian and S&P Indices showed that the national default rate increased for both mortgages and bank cards.

The housing market is slow to recover, and one report says many homeowners are offering something extra to tempt buyers into purchasing their properties.

A stagnant shadow inventory continues to threaten to push national home prices ever lower in the new year, a CoreLogic report suggests.

Increased rates of housing construction may mark the end of a depressed housing market holding back the national economy, The Associated Press reports.

Illinois home sales increased dramatically in November, according to a recent report from the Illinois Association of Realtors.

A recent report from Fannie Mae showed the economy will finish strong this year, but it may be too early to say the same will happen next year.

The National Association of Realtors recently announced existing-home sales increased 4 percent during the month of November.

A recent study from the Mortgage Bankers Association showed that with affordable home prices and mortgage rates sitting near record lows, many people want to make home purchases.

A recent report shows that homes in the United States may have lost roughly $681 billion in value throughout the course of 2011, Zillow reports.

According to a recent report from Freddie Mac, mortgage rates continue to plummet to near historic lows.

A survey shows that mortgage application activity fell the first week of December, following a surge of refinancings the week before.

The California Association of Realtors showed that home sales in November fell when compared with the previous month, but year-over-year, there was still a climb.

Florida Realtors recently reported home and condominium sales increased in November 11 percent year-over-year.

Recent economic reports indicate that foreclosures may continue to delay a housing market recovery until 2013, Bloomberg reports.

A telephone language service pilot has been launched by the Department of Housing and Urban development to offer one-on-one interpretation services in a wide array of languages.

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Commerce showed that personal income and consumer spending witnessed slight rises during November.

A recent report from the Federal Housing Finance Agency showed that home prices in the United States declined 0.2 percent during the month of October.

Radar Logic recently released a report that showed residential home prices in the United States declined in October when compared with the same point in 2010.

Sources report that average rates on long-term fixed mortgage rates have never been lower, and have dropped eight weeks in a row.

According to Freddie Mac, the delinquency rate of single-family homes held by the mortgage giant edged higher in November on a month-over-month basis.

Home prices in October fell lower as the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index recorded price drops across the country.

A recent report from the New York State Association of Realtors showed home sales increased in November when compared with the same period in 2010.

A recent report from the Triangle Multiple Listing Service showed the region witnessed its fifth straight month of home sales increases in November.

The Conference Board recently revealed that consumer confidence was on the rise in December, posting impressive gains.

Continued efforts to keep foreclosure alternatives available to those in need is the most important step the government and the real estate industry can make in the struggle to accelerate economic recovery, an expert recently wrote in RIS Media.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which oversees government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, has sued the city of Chicago over an ordinance that holds mortgage creditors liable for the upkeep of vacant properties, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Chief counsel Julie Williams of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) spoke to a Senate subcommittee about plans for independent consultants to review millions of foreclosure files in the coming months to examine them for any harm to borrowers due to improper practices.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the new mortgage fee to fund the extension of the payroll tax cut could prevent or slow down the recovery of the real estate market.

One source reflects on the past four years of the mortgage industry's struggle to survive and offers advice on what to expect from the housing market in 2012.

A real estate website reports that 30-year fixed mortgages rose for the first time in December last week.

A disclosure report shows a consumer advocacy group spent less money lobbying during the third quarter.

The Bureau of Financial Institutions in the state of Maine report that a third quarter survey showed a mixed performance in the housing market, leaving officials wondering if the market has hit bottom.

Homeowners across America tend to establish their New Year's resolutions based around two simple categories - getting fit physically and financially.

Despite affordability and low mortgage rates, sources report that falling home values may mean budget crunches for cities.

Many prospective homebuyers may be confused about some jargon that is used in the housing industry, but they don't have to be.

A recent report from CareerBuilder signaled that the job market could improve for Americans in 2012.

A recent report from Forbes showed that Plano, Texas, is the safest city in America.

Efforts to spur economic recovery may soon include additional briefings and information availability from the Federal Reserve, experts told Bloomberg.

In an effort to entice potential home buyers into making the decision to search for a residence, property sellers across the nation are discounting single-family homes to extreme degrees, according to Trulia.

Sources report that Washington lawmakers who previously planned to cut the U.S government's role in the mortgage industry have enacted policies for the new year that expands their presence.

One source reports that mortgage rates for the last week 2011 remained near historic lows.

Sources report that the recent increase in short sales may give the housing market the break it needs during its slow recovery.

According to a recent study by the Urban Institute, the country's foreclosure backlog may take decades to clear, HousingWire reports.

A recent report from Home Builders Research indicates that new home sales in Las Vegas declined in November in wake of a price increase.

Many Americans look to live in a home with their families, and it is a great goal to have.

Many people could be penny-pinching in the wake of the recession.

Consumers who seek credit counseling to deal with delinquent mortgages may not be just helping themselves, but could be helping the economy, too.

Despite the foreclosure halt by Fannie Mae during the holidays, many Virginia homeowners will be dealing with losing their home as the year begins, according to The Washington Post.

Mortgage rates are floating around record-low figures, and have been for a few months.

A recent report from LendingTree.com showed that the state of Hawaii had by far the highest average prices for mortgage loans taken out to purchase homes in the entire United States.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas recently released a report showing that the housing recovery may be muted by economic uncertainty.

A recent announcement from the Federal Housing Finance Agency noted that government-sponsored mortgage lenders Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae will need to increase the fees they charge lenders due to the payroll tax break.

A recent report from the National Association of Realtors showed that pending home sales improved during November, and also reached levels that have not been seen in nearly two years.

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that unemployment claims rose for the week ending December 24

A growing portion of Americans feel that it's a good time to buy a home, but a recent survey indicates that low property values have caused a drop in seller sentiment, according to a report from the Research Institute for Housing America.

According to recent findings, home sales in Manhattan decreased during the fourth quarter resulting in a slip in median home prices, The Wall Street Journal reports.