Category Archives: Banking and Finance

Topics Include Bank Regulation, Bank Failures, Bank Bailouts, and more.

When The Fed Speaks, Housing Listens

Posted on June 23, 2011 by Greg Fielding

Especially since the 1990′s, home prices have largely been driven, directly or indirectly, by the actions of The Fed. The Greenspan Fed enabled the Credit and Housing Bubbles, and the Bernanke Fed is doing everything it can to keep them inflated, extending and pretending, hoping the fundamental core economy will eventually catch up.
Continue reading →

Posted in Banking and Finance, Economic News, Foreclosures and Short Sales, The Daily Hotsheet | Tagged Bernanke, Deflation, Foreclosures, Greece, greenspan, Home Prices, Inflation, QE2, QE3, Shadow Inventory, The Fed | 7 Comments

Muddle Through, or Crisis?

Posted on May 10, 2011 by John Mauldin

I think the crucial point will be reached in late 2013. If the bond market sees a serious move to control the deficit, I think they let us “skate.” Then we Muddle Through. But if not, I think we begin to see some real push-back on rates then. Continue reading →

Posted in Banking and Finance, Fresh Perspectives, Home Economics | Tagged GDP, Muddle Through, Unemployment | Leave a comment

Will the Jumbo Mortgage Loan Squeeze Affect Home Prices?

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Mish

Starting October 1, the maximum loan amount from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will drop from $729,750 to $625,500. Continue reading →

Posted in Banking and Finance, Fresh Perspectives, Home Economics, Mortgage News | Tagged Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Home Prices, Jumbo Loans | Leave a comment

Fed Aims at Mortgage Fraud, Shoots Housing Market in the Gut

Posted on April 19, 2011 by Charles Hugh Smith

The Fed’s ill-advised “reforms” simply act to further consolidate an already concentrated market, creating what amounts to a mortgage cartel by snuffing out smaller competitors in the mortgage market. Continue reading →

Posted in Banking and Finance, Fresh Perspectives, Mortgage News | Tagged Mortgage Reform, The Fed | Leave a comment

Another Way Banks Put Borrowers Into Poverty

Posted on April 19, 2011 by HS

“In our view, living at the poverty index would be unsuitable for mortgage borrowers, and the banks’ default living costs are even below the poverty index and well below any other comparable budget. We believe the banks’ default living assumptions underestimate the real cost of living for mortgage borrowers. While it might be plausible for a borrower to keep within such a low budget for the short-term, we question if it is sustainable.” Continue reading →

Posted in Banking and Finance, Mortgage News, The Buying and Selling Process | Tagged Australia, Debt-to-Income Ratio, Home Prices, Mortgage Fraud, Qualifying for a Mortgage | Leave a comment