News / Features

Legislation Puts Fannie/Freddie on the Clock

New legislation introduced in the Senate yesterday would place Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on a 10-year timeline, liquidating the two GSEs and turning its components over to the private sector. According to a HousingWire report, the Mortgage Finance

Foreclosed Lake Forest Mansion Listed for $12 Million

The Schweppe mansion in Lake Forest is on the market for $12 million after a foreclosure lawsuit, according to a recent Crain’s article by Mary E. Morrison. The 27-room English-style mansion has been listed by an affiliate of First

NAR Sets its Sights on Mortgage Finance Reform

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has zeroed in on the secondary mortgage market, calling for reforms to what it sees as a major contributor to a sustained housing recovery. In testimony before the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored

Shaken, Not Stirred – Obama’s Housing Scorecard a Mixed Bag

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury released the White House’s latest Housing Scorecard, a cumulative report that assesses a wide number of factors in the housing market. Like most

The Feminine Mystique of Mortgage Rates

Typically, income and credit scores are main factors in determining mortgage rates, but a new study from the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics suggests that gender plays a substantial role. Brought to light by an AOL Real Estate

Dana Pierson-Emering Joins Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has just announced the addition of industry veteran Dana Pierson-Emering to their team. Emering will work out of the brokerage’s Deerfield

A Tale of Two Home Values

We all saw the headlines; CoreLogic’s Home Price Index (HPI) fell 1.3 percent from September to October and 3.9 percent from last year, while LPS reported a 1.2 percent drop from August and the Case-Shiller, the granddaddy of them

Larry Steinway Named Senior Vice President of Chicago Bancorp

Larry Steinway announced his acceptance of a senior vice president position with Chicago Bancorp today. Steinway has been working in the mortgage industry for over 20

20 Cities Added to the NAHB’s Improving Markets Index

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) added 20 more cities to its Improving Markets Index (IMI), further evidence that though housing remains tough in some markets, it is not only improving, but showing positive signs of growth in

Home Showing Compromised in Deathly Manner

A home showing in Sauk Village, a small community 30 miles south of Chicago with just 10,000 residents, went horribly awry as two bodies were found in the home by the property’s owner and a prospective buyer.The victims, ages

Scientific Curiosity Fuels New Consumer Research Firm

Why do consumers make the choices they do? Why buy one jacket, but pass on another? Why invest in one bond, but not the latest Silicon Valley IPO? In the end, what governs reckless financial behavior, even at the

Low Credit Scores Hobble Prospective Homebuyers

There were many outcomes of the housing boom and bust cycle, but one of the more implicit has been lowering consumer credit scores, a detail that has posed problems for prospective homebuyers seeking a mortgage for their transactions. According

Competing Price Indices Post Seasonal Lulls

Two home price indices from CoreLogic and Lender Processing Services (LPS) both showed small declines in home prices for October, indications that the summer buying boom has concluded and home values are entering their seasonal lull. CoreLogic’s Home Price Index (HPI),

Oak Park Receives Nearly $3 Million from HUD Sustainable Community Award

The recipients of the 2011 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Sustainable Communities Grants were recently announced by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. Oak Park and the West Cook County Housing Collaborative received the Sustainable Communities Challenge grant, which

Proposed Lakeview Complex Meets Local Opposition

A developer has proposed a 17-story rental and retail complex in Lakeview, but some locals aren’t thrilled about bringing a project of that size into the neighborhood, according to a recent Chicago Sun-Times article by David

Overregulation Driving Illinois Community Banks Batty

It’s tough for small community banks – though they had little to no impact on the financial crisis and steered clear of many of the exotic options that have troubled housing since 2007, many are facing an increasingly difficult

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