Blog

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

“Realty Trac has released new data from July showing the Florida counties with the highest foreclosure rate.” See slideshow hereRead 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

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS | “Two Florida cities lead the nation in foreclosures of high-end properties worth $5 million or more. The research firm RealtyTrac said in a report Wednesday that Miami and Orlando were at the top of the list of foreclosure activity on homes in the $5 million-plus range. Other cities with high numbers of foreclosureRead more

CHARLENE CROWELL | NNPA | “With the annual holiday season approaching, many across the country will soon be celebrating with families and loved ones. Many such gatherings will toast the season and its blessings. But for families still troubled by delinquent mortgages and foreclosures, this time of year has another meaning. These consumers are wonderingRead more

JUNE FLETCHER | Scripps Howard News Service | “Steven and Janet Sparker never planned to leave the house they purchased in 2006 in Golden Gate Estates in the southwest section of Florida. But when Janet, 57, lost her six-figure job, and the home’s value fell by more than half from the $585,000 they had paidRead more

by MortgageOrb.com| “The national mortgage delinquency rate (loans 30 or more days past due, but not in foreclosure) increased 4.23% in September to reach 6.46% of all mortgages, according to Lender Processing Services’ (LPS) First Look Mortgage Report, which covers about 70% of the U.S. housing market. Still, the delinquency rate for September was down 12.63%Read more

Staff | Tampa Bay Business Journal | “Home flipping dropped in the third quarter of 2013 in Tampa Bay, a sign that there are fewer bargain basement properties on the market. Between July and September, 575 homes were flipped in the area, about 50 percent lower than the rate during the same time in 2012, the TampaRead more

Pamela M. Prah | Stateline “Florida still leads the country in overall foreclosure activity, but Maryland and Oregon experienced dramatic increases in foreclosure starts in recent months. Meanwhile, bank repossessions climbed significantly in Kentucky and New York. The number of U.S. homes entering the foreclosure process hit a seven-year low between July and September, but bankRead more