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RISMEDIA, August 1, 2011—Foreclosure activity decreased in 85 percent of the nation’s metropolitan areas in the first half of the year and all top 10 metro areas with the highest foreclosure rates posted decreasing foreclosure activity. ...

RISMEDIA, July 29, 2011—(MCT)—Home prices in major U.S. cities increased in May for the second consecutive month, according to a closely watched index, although experts dismissed the uptick as seasonal while separate reports provided fresh evidence of a weak housing market. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index of home prices in 20 metropolitan areas rose 1 percent from April to May when left unadjusted for seasonal variations. Prices often rise in spring because of changes in the types of homes selling: Foreclosures make up a higher proportion of sales during the winter as families take a break from home shopping and cash-rich investors dominate the market. Higher sales volumes also push up prices.

RISMEDIA, July 29, 2011— The Federal Housing Finance Agency recently reported that the National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders, used as an index in some ARM contracts, was 4.62 percent based on loans closed in June. This is a decrease of 0.12 percent from the previous month. The average interest rate on conventional, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage loans of $417,000 or less decreased 13 basis points to 4.79 percent in June. These rates are calculated from the FHFA’s Monthly Interest Rate Survey of purchase-money mortgages. These results reflect loans closed during the June 24-30 period. Typically, the interest rate is determined 30 to 45 days before the loan is closed. Thus, the reported rates depict market conditions prevailing in mid- to late-May.

RISMEDIA, July 29, 2011—Prices of “normal” homes—those that aren’t foreclosures or short sales—are stabilizing and the numbers of future foreclosures are falling. That “sliver of good news for consumer spending” was included in CoreLogic’s July report on housing and market trends.

RISMEDIA, July 28, 2011—The Pentagon Federal Credit Union Foundation (PenFed Foundation), a nationally recognized nonprofit organization working to meet the unmet needs of military personnel and their families, is offering financial help to eligible first-time home buyers through its Dream Makers program. Active duty personnel, veterans and retired members of the military, as well as employees of the U.S. Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, qualify for a grant up to $5,000 to use on down payments and closing costs when buying their first home.

RISMEDIA, July 27, 2011—Mortgage applications increased 15.5 percent from one week earlier, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Weekly Mortgage Applications Survey for the week ending July 15, 2011.

RISMEDIA, July 26, 2011— This week, the House of Representatives plans to vote on the Interior Environment FY 2012 Appropriations bill, H.R. 2584, which is chock full of more than 40 provisions that would prolong pollution of the air, water, oceans, and lands of your favorite vacation destinations enumerated in the slideshow, "Wet, Hot, Dirty American Summer," released by the Center for American Progress. The sum effect of these and other pollution provisions in the House Interior and Environment Appropriations bill threaten clean air and clean water throughout the nation, exposing our children to sewage, dirty drinking water, mercury, smog, pesticides, and other pollutants.

RISMEDIA, July 26, 2011—(MCT)—Under a new state law, any lender who agrees to a short sale—which by definition will yield insufficient funds to cover the outstanding loans on a property—must accept it as payment in full for all loan balances. That is a good thing for upside-down homeowners who need to sell, says the California Association of REALTORS®. In a prepared statement applauding Gov. Jerry Brown for signing SB 458 into law, the association observed that previously a first mortgage holder could accept an agreed-upon short sale payment as full payment for the first mortgage but a junior lien holder could still hound the seller for the full amount owned on the junior lien.

RISMEDIA, July 26, 2011— Existing-home sales eased in June as contract cancellations spiked unexpectedly, although prices were up slightly, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. Sales gains in the Midwest and South were offset by declines in the Northeast and West. Single-family home sales were stable while the condo sector weakened. Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, declined 0.8 percent

RISMEDIA, July 25, 2011—The “Gang of Six” compromise on the federal deficit that has been endorsed by President Obama mandates the most significant reductions in the mortgage interest deduction in the 98 years it has been in effect.

RISMEDIA, July 23, 2011— ATTENTION STUDENTS! Apply for our credit card and get free food, pizza, t-shirts, water bottles and backpacks. Sound familiar? Not anymore. A recent Sallie Mae survey found 84% of undergraduates own at least one credit card

RISMEDIA, July 11, 2011— Mortgage rates increased for the second week in a row, with the benchmark conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate now 4.79 percent, according to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey. The average 30-year fixed mortgage

RISMEDIA, July 9, 2011—Homeowners living in Cameron, Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard Parishes may be eligible for additional compensation under Louisiana’s Road Home Program under the terms of a settlement agreement

RISMEDIA, July 8, 2011—The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has many components and one of the biggest ones is about to debut. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is slated to start operations on July 22, 2011. The truth is that work is already being done behind the scenes and has been for months now. The agency has been adding staff and setting up systems and should be ready to roll by the July date. They have also been working on some early Dodd-Frank tasks such as combining the Good Faith Estimate (GFE) under RESPA and the Truth in Lending (TIL) statement under TILA. This process, as of this writing, has been a pleasant surprise and bodes well for how CFPB will handle its numerous future regulatory endeavors.

RISMEDIA, July 7, 2011—Leading economists agree that 122 million Americans between the ages of 16 and 46 dictate the growth and success of the US and Global economy. This group has become labeled as the “Economic Influencers.” Professionals in every field are working harder than ever to influence this group, which dominates the landscape in numbers, and consequently, dollars. As traditional forms of communication continue to achieve less ROI, the tsunami of social media is reaching a tipping point. With 750 million users on Facebook alone, will you drown in the crashing waves or surf toward profitability?