Newsdesk | February 3, 2012

Top News Homeownership rates fall to 66% as downturn nears a bottom USA Today  - While prices are still falling in most areas, there are signs of increased home sales. Existing home sales rose in December for the third consecutive month, the National Association... Obama proposes home loan refinancing plan CNN Money - The refinancing plan is the latest in a string of programs designed to help solve the nation's housing market crisis. President Obama unveiled the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) foreclosure-prevention effort three years ago as part of the massive...

Market News Foreclosure Accord Deadline for States Postponed to Feb. 6 BusinessWeek - The deadline for states to decide whether to join a proposed nationwide foreclosure settlement with banks was postponed to Feb. 6 from Feb. 3, according to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. States were given more time to evaluate the... US Mortgage Applications Dipped Last Week: MBA CNBC - Applications for U.S. home mortgages slipped last week, even as interest rates also eased, an industry group said on Wednesday. Rate on 30-year mortgages falls to record low 3.87% USA Today - The average on 15-year fixed mortgages fell to 3.14%, also a record low. Records for mortgage rates date back to the 1950s. Rates have been low for more than a year. Citigroup Says Bank Will Exit Mortgage Brokerage Business BusinessWeek - Citigroup Inc., the third-largest U.S. lender by assets, plans to stop using brokers to originate mortgages and probably will cut jobs as it exits the business while banks grapple with... Foreclosure filings down 25 percent in Colorado in 2011 Denver Post - New foreclosure filings were down 25 percent in Colorado during 2011, dropping to the lowest annual total reported since 2006, according to the Colorado Division of Housing. Mortgage and Foreclosure Complaints Quadruple in Massachusetts DSNews.com - “This data confirms what we have known for some time – the subprime lending and foreclosure crisis is a major concern for homeowners who are often faced with losing their most valued possession,” Coakley said. After dropping out of the settlement negotiations...

Technology News How to view files offline in Google Docs for Android CNET News - The new Google Docs update in the Android Market added offline viewing for Android phones and tablets. Offline access is essential when you're not able to connect to the Internet, like on...

Other News Florida Master Planned Communities Doing Well Despite Headwinds Multi-Housing News - Florida’s existing home sales rose 8 percent for the year, with a total of 185,921 units sold compared to 172,462 units sold in 2010, according... 4 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Foreclosure REALTOR Magazine - Foreclosures can offer big bargains, but buyers need to be careful that they don’t get over their heads in purchasing a home that may need more repairs than they bargained for. Foreclosures are usually sold as-is, and homes that are left vacant standing... More parents helping adult children get homes, cars USA Today - Theo Karatzas moved in with her parents in the Portland, Ore., a suburb of Lake Oswego while she was finishing her final semester at Portland State University. Working part-time, she used the rent-relief as an opportunity to set... 401(k) Changes Could Save You Money Yahoo! Finance - The rules governing America's most popular retirement vehicle are about to change, and that could mean huge savings for millions of workers building nest eggs for the future. Spurred by the U.S. Labor Department's effort to force plan administrators and...