Delinquencies and foreclosures set 9th straight record in 3rd quarter as layoffs keep rising

Foreclosures hitting more people with prime loans

Shares of homebuilders follow Pulte higher, brushing off reports showing weak housing sector

Sector Snap: Homebuilders follow Pulte higher

Home sales stabilizing, but rising mortgage rates, job losses likely to slow housing recovery

WASHINGTON — Nationwide home sales may have finally hit bottom, new data shows, but a host of thorny problems are hindering any recovery.

Obama administration says ‘plain vanilla’ home loans would benefit borrowers

WASHINGTON — If President Barack Obama gets his way, consumers who take out mortgages would automatically get a “plain vanilla” loan — such as a traditional 30-year fixed-rate mortgage — unless they opted for a riskier variety.

Homeowners are threatened with foreclosure for not paying their homeowner association dues

IRVING, Texas — Thousands of Americans who have generally kept up with their mortgages are still in danger of losing their homes because they made a fateful trade-off in this shaky economy — they let their homeowner association dues slide.

RealtyTrac: May foreclosures down 6 percent from April; smallest annual gain since mid-2006

WASHINGTON — The number of U.S. households on the verge of losing their homes dipped in May from April, and the annual increase was the smallest in three years.

ALL BUSINESS: Bond-market rout boosts mortgage rates, undermining economic prospects

NEW YORK — The Federal Reserve announced a $1.2 trillion plan three months ago designed to push down mortgage rates and breathe life into the housing market.

Lawmakers unable to pass foreclosure relief try one-on-one approach with lenders

WASHINGTON — Can’t afford your mortgage payment? If the bank won’t take your call, your member of Congress just might.

Bonds fall, pushing yields higher, as stocks rise on jobless claims data; mortgage rates up

NEW YORK — Bond yields are heading higher again, a troubling trend for potential homebuyers or mortgage holders looking to refinance.

Mortgage delinquencies up for 9th straight quarter, TransUnion says; rise expected to continue

NEW YORK — The rate at which people are falling behind on their mortgage payments went up for the ninth straight quarter in the first three months of 2009, and is expected to keep rising through the end of the year, according to credit reporting agency TransUnion.

Freddie Mac: Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages edge up this week, but remain below 5 pct

WASHINGTON — Rates on 30-year fixed mortgages rose slightly for the second straight week, but still remained below 5 percent, Freddie Mac said Thursday.

Obama officials to expand housing aid to help borrowers who don’t qualify for other assistance

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration expanded its $50 billion mortgage aid program on Thursday, announcing new measures that would help homeowners avoid a foreclosure if they don’t qualify for other assistance.

With stress tests behind them, banks turn to the toxic assets that still plague balance sheets

WASHINGTON — The big banks got through the government’s “stress tests” with only minor bruising. But a bigger test awaits them: Getting rid of the bad assets that helped ignite the financial crisis in the first place.

Government requests nearly $800 million to aid federal reverse mortgage program for seniors

WASHINGTON — Falling home prices have forced the government to ask Congress for a $798 million taxpayer subsidy to prop up a program that lets senior citizens tap the equity in their homes.

House votes to outlaw ‘liar loans,’ other practices that lawmakers say preyed on consumers

WASHINGTON — The House voted Thursday to outlaw “liar loans,” ballooning mortgage payments and other bank practices that lawmakers say preyed on consumers who couldn’t afford their homes.

Wall Street locks in gains after rally in financials; Weak bond auction stirs worries

NEW YORK — Investors might think the economy is stabilizing but they’re not ready to celebrate.

Meltdown 101: Low average mortgage rates released weekly by Freddie Mac don’t apply to all

Every week, mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac releases average rates on four types of home loans, including 30-year fixed rate mortgages — the most popular type of loan for home buyers.

Senate Roll Call: How the Senate voted on an anti-foreclosure measure

The 45-51 roll call by which the Senate on Thursday defeated a measure that would have given bankruptcy judges authority to reduce the costs and terms of mortgages for homeowners threatened with foreclosure.

Senate defeats bid that would have let homeowners seek foreclosure relief in bankruptcy court

WASHINGTON — With President Barack Obama on the sidelines, the Senate defeated his promise of a bankruptcy court refuge for hundreds of thousands of families about to lose their homes to foreclosure.

Freddie Mac: Rates on 30-year mortgages tie record low

WASHINGTON — Rates on 30-year mortgages tied a record low this week, spurring refinancing activity as the troubled housing market moves closer to possibly hitting the bottom, Freddie Mac said Thursday.

Bank lobby, voter frustration with bailouts keep Obama from wielding heavy stick on banks

WASHINGTON — With President Barack Obama largely on the sidelines, Senate Republicans are poised to defeat his promise of a bankruptcy court refuge for hundreds of thousands of families about to lose their homes to foreclosure.

Financial groups reject Obama’s plan to provide homeowners mortgage relief through bankruptcy

WASHINGTON — A dozen financial groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and American Bankers Association, on Wednesday urged every member of the U.S. Senate to reject a key piece of President Barack Obama’s plan to keep tens of thousands of Americans from losing their homes.

Treasury gives $121.8 million to 12 banks under $700 billion bailout program

WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department has approved 12 more banks to participate in the $700 billion financial rescue program.

Obama adminstration launches effort to aid troubled borrowers with second mortgages

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Tuesday it is expanding its plan to stem the housing crisis by offering mortgage lenders incentives to lower borrowers’ bills on second mortgages.

5 charged in ‘nightmare’ Ponzi scheme that conned thousands of mortgage holders of $70M

BALTIMORE — More than 1,000 people were defrauded out of about $70 million by a group advertising the dream of homeownership in what turned out to be a nightmare Ponzi scheme, federal and Maryland officials said Monday.

Senate to sink plan that would have let homeowners reduce mortgage payments through bankruptcy

WASHINGTON — The centerpiece of President Barack Obama’s plan to keep thousands of people from losing their homes amid the worst economic crisis in decades is headed for defeat next week in the Senate.

AP answers your questions on the news, from water-fueled cars to the bodies of slain pirates

Is it possible to make a car that runs on water?

Talks on mortgage relief hit snag as credit union group rejects Senate proposal

WASHINGTON — Negotiations between the banking industry and Senate Democrats on a mortgage relief plan hit a snag Wednesday after a trade association representing credit unions said it could not endorse the proposal.