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winknews.com | “RealtyTrac® (www.realtytrac.com), the leading online marketplace for real estate data, today released a report showing that as of June owners had vacated 167,680 foreclosure properties nationwide, representing 20 percent of all U.S. properties in the foreclosure process. These owner-vacated foreclosures are in addition to 544,274 bank-owned homes nationwide that have been foreclosed onRead more

Posted by Kerri Ann Panchuk | “When Florida’s Governor Rick Scott signed House Bill 87 – the so-called foreclosure Rocket Docket bill – he had no idea he was opening another can of worms and potentially giving foreclosure defense attorneys more tools in their arsenal to delay foreclosures. The bill was passed into law to deal withRead more

By Jennifer Liberto @CNNMoney | Tampa homeowners probably need the government’s help more than in other places. After all, Florida’s Tampa Bay reported the nation’s third highest rate of foreclosures as recently as May. But those seeking in-person help from the government will be out of luck. The federal housing department, which handles such things as emergency placementsRead more

By Lauren Carroll, Times Staff Writer | “Homeowners facing foreclosure should prepare for speedier judgment than they might expect. Last week, Gov. Rick Scott approved legislation intended to expedite the foreclosure process, which led the Pinellas-Pasco Circuit to make changes that will affect lenders and buyers. Currently, the average Florida foreclosure case lasts about 900 days. ChiefRead more

Reported by: Amanda Warford | JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — “Look around, there’s probably a foreclosure in your neighborhood, and those homes can sit empty for years due to a huge backlog in Florida courts. Since 2008, when the average foreclosure took five months, the process has been known to last as long as 814 days. This week, Gov.Read more

By Kerri Ann Panchuk | “Florida’s governor signed a much-discussed foreclosure bill Friday, enacting a series of provisions aimed at speeding up the default process in the state. While the legislation is considered a response to Florida’s untimely foreclosure timelines, it’s a big shift that has attracted a great deal of attention. Attorneys working withinRead more

By Michael Estrin of Bankrate.com “You dream of taking ownership of a vacant home by living in it. Then legal reality sets in. Describing himself as a “savvy investor,” a man used an arcane property-law doctrine known as adverse possession to squat in a vacant Dallas-area home. Kenneth Robinson’s gambit cost him $16 in filing fees paid to theRead more

A few lenders are offering loans to borrowers with damaged credit. But, unlike during the boom, they are asking for big down payments and lots of documentation. By Teresa at MSN Real Estate They’re ba-ack. We don’t mean ghosts. But some may see the ghosts of the real-estate crash past in the reappearance of subprime loans.Read more

By  ILYCE GLINK / MONEYWATCH/ (MoneyWatch) So-called zombie homes are appearing on the real estate market, but they’re not built to keep out the walking dead. Hundreds of thousands of homes in the U.S. are now labeled as “zombie” foreclosures. That’s when the owner of a foreclosed home leaves only to find out years later that heRead more

By KATIE DAVIES | “The number of foreclosed or bank-seized homes has risen by nine per cent already this year – with 1.5 million properties currently being lost by homeowners who can no longer afford them. A realty survey found the worrying increase over the last three months compared to the same time in 2012. The researchRead more