Real Estate Roundup

No finished article today, so I thought I'd do a round-up of interesting stuff on one of my pet topics elsewhere.



This study was in the news today. Here is the article. If you're a regular here, it was old news.

**********



Speaking of the housing market, I've been getting spam the last few days saying "refinance and skip two payments!" This is the mark of scum, as I explain in this article.



**********



Some issues from the North County Times. All previously reported here.



**********



Internet Fraud and Complaint Center. If you've been a victim of mortgage fraud, or believe you have, here's an easy place to report it. I also put it in the resource list to the right.



**********



Michigan looking at predatory lending. Iowa passes one.



**********



A Neat little resource here at Stop Mortgage Fraud.com. Go here to actually report fraud. I'm also adding these links to the resources list to the right. They repeat the basics of several things I say in my articles.



**********



A disturbing case that I just found out about. These people are con artists. Inflexible rule: If it seems too good to be true, it isn't true. If we could really do this, why isn't everyone doing it?



**********



This guy is stuck at denial. Both San Diego asking and selling prices have slipped in the last several months, up to 5% and maybe more in what were some of the hottest neighborhoods, a fact he could verify by looking at MLS. Income is still rising, and unemployment remains essentially unchanged.



**********



San Diego Housing a few months old. We're not seeing this now.



**********



An interesting correlation. Bigger gap between top earners and median earners drive housing prices higher.



**********



A recent article on an ongoing problem that I have noted here several times. People are committing fraud. Agents and loan providers and clients.



**********



No mortgage discrimitation found.



**********



Reasons why the government wants appreciation to continue. Somehow, I doubt they are prepared for when it stops.



**********



Independent verification of the difficulties I talk about in this article, although I go into more depth and specifics about the problems.



**********



Scams:



HELP FOR FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS VICTIMIZED IN REAL ESTATE SCAM

Home-buying scam leads to prison





**********



Some more resources:

Don't be Fooled by a Mortgage Scam

Bankruptcy Scam Operators Can Lock You Out of Your Home

Beware of Predatory Practices in Home Mortgage Lending