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Josh Salman | Herald-Tribune | “Foreclosure rates in Southwest Florida fell in November from the same time last year, continuing a trend of home loan delinquencies that have slowly waned throughout the past year. The rate of foreclosures among all outstanding mortgage loans in the North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton area was 6.04 percent in November, the latest dataRead more

ALEX VEIGA | AP Real Estate Writer | “The number of U.S. homes that got started on the path to foreclosure fell last year to a low not seen since before the high-flying days of the housing boom, the latest evidence that the threat of foreclosures continues to diminish. Lenders also took back the fewestRead more

Drew Harwell | Tampa Bay Times | “Florida ended 2013 once again as America’s reigning foreclosure king, though amid the housing recovery new cases plunged, RealtyTrac data released Thursday shows. About 107,000 new foreclosures began last year in Florida, a 31 percent drop from 2012, as banks continued to tussle with homeowners in the aftermathRead more

Ted Jackovics | Tampa Tribune Staff | “Florida will need a few more years to climb completely out of the hole left by the recession, but various economic indicators are gradually returning to typical growth levels, the Legislature’s research office said in its latest report. Trends are positive for two key elements of Florida’s economy: Personal income growthRead more

Christopher O’Donnell | Tampa Tribune | “Two years ago, Shanoah Washington’s home on Preston Street in the Melrose Mercy neighborhood was a gutted shell. Thieves had ripped out the air handler and plumbing. Gone, too, were windows, electrical wiring and most of the kitchen. The home attracted the attention of St. Petersburg City Council ChairmanRead more

By Josh Salman | Herald-Tribune “New home defaults throughout Southwest Florida have returned to the pace experienced before the market’s crash. Although the local court system continue to grapple with a backlog of 11,880 old foreclosure cases, the flow of loans becoming delinquent has slowed to a point that recalls 2006 — the height of last decade’sRead more

By John Hielscher | Herald-Tribune | “A popular tax break that has saved struggling Southwest Florida homeowners millions of dollars is slated to expire at the end of this year. The tax deduction on forgiven mortgage debt has been available for the past seven years, one of a number of measures intended to ease financial pressure broughtRead more

ROBERT JABLON | Associated Press | “The Los Angeles city attorney sued Wells Fargo and Citigroup on Thursday, alleging the companies engaged in mortgage discrimination that led to a wave of foreclosures in minority communities during the housing crash. The twin lawsuits, filed in federal court, are the latest fallout from the 2008 collapse of theRead more

Kenneth Harney | U-T San Diego | “Why have many of the local housing markets that were hit hardest during the bust — especially in California — bounced back so vigorously and quickly, with prices close to or exceeding what they were in 2005 and 2006? And why have many others along the East CoastRead more

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER | “The Florida home of Casey Anthony’s parents where her daughter Caylee died in 2008 has gone into foreclosure. George and Cynthia Anthony are now facing eviction from their Mount Dora residence after NationStar Mortgage LLC filed foreclosure papers with the Orange County Register of Actions against the coupe last week. The valueRead more