Subprime Mortgages Muddy the Housing Outlook

Combine federal manipulation of interest rates, tighter standards for mortgage lending and a surge in subprime loans, and what do you get? A blend of mixed messages and conflicting goals that leaves financial experts and homebuyers alike scratching their heads. And,...

The Qualified Mortgage Rule: What Does it Mean for Investors?

As the housing market continues its rebound, the mortgage lending industry is still a work in proeress after the string of lawsuits, settlements and new legislation put in place to protect consumers after the well-publicized abuses of the past. More regulation is...

Going Green Pays Off in the Housing Market

“Green” houses mean greenbacks for investors. Houses featuring environmentally friendly upgrades and energy-saving devices command higher prices, attract more affluent tenants, and improve neighborhoods. While going green may look expensive, a variety of perks are...

Dinosaur Degrees: Are Four Year Colleges Worth It?

For many of the so-called “millennial” generation – newly graduated from college, or recent grads in the last five years or so – the old advice about getting a degree to get ahead just doesn’t apply. As more graduates are facing decades or more of student loan...

Employment Outlook Affects the Fed’s Bond Buyup

Over $3 trillion and counting. That’s the total so far of the Federal Reserve’s buyup of mortgage security bonds – a number that, as we discussed in a recent post, is raising alarms among senior representatives of regional Federal Reserve banks. Now, in another twist...