The Treasury Department announced Thursday new efforts by the Obama Administration to further stabilize the housing market. During his remarks at the Making Home Affordable (MHA) Fifth Anniversary Summit, Secretary Jack Lew announced an extension of the MHA program for at least one year and a new effort to help jump-start the Private Label Securities (PLS) market.
Read More »As Banking Industry Improves, Risk Increases
As the United States economy continues to improve, the challenges facing the banking industry gradually shift from recovery to risk management in an effort to avoid the pitfalls that contributed to the financial crisis. In that spirit, the Office of the Comptroller of Currency released its Semiannual Risk Perspective of Spring 2014, offering an overview on the current health of the market and highlighting the significant risk related challenges that currently that face the banking industry.
Read More »Harvard: Housing Recovery Hinges on Millennial Participation
Millennials are so hot right now. Advertisers spend sleepless nights wondering how to associate this “cool” generation with their products and services. In their annual “State of the Nation’s Housing” report, the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University suggested that participation in the housing market from the segment of the population age 18 to 34 is also the key to a robust housing recovery.
Read More »May Inventory Up; Home Sales Down
The housing market took an unexpected dip in May, with home sales dropping year-over-year despite a surge in new listings. A report published by Redfin's Research Center indicated that home inventory was up 9.1 percent in May. That number represents the highest number of new listings to come onto the market in the last four years.
Read More »Southwestern Pennsylvania Home Market Heating Up
Home sellers in Southwestern Pennsylvania may have more to cheer about this summer than just the Pittsburgh Pirates. According to the May 2014 residential real estate report from the West Penn Multi-List, Inc., the outlook for the Southwestern Pennsylvania home market is steadily increasing as demand continues to rise and inventory works to keep up.
Read More »Bank of America and Justice Department Negotiations Stall
Ongoing settlement negotiations between Bank of America and the Justice Department to resolve an investigation into the bank's role in the mortgage crisis reached a stalemate Monday as the government reportedly rejected the bank's earlier $12 billion offer.
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