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Mortgage rates edge up; Housing market still slow (AP)
AP - Record-low mortgage rates failed to pull the housing market out of its funk. Now rates are inching higher, but don't blame them if home sales stay sluggish.

Homeowners, Beware Association Costs (Investor's Business Daily)
Investor's Business Daily - House and condo owners may face extra costs as their homeowner associations struggle with unpaid assessments, the legacy of neighbors hit by job losses and foreclosures.

FDIC's Bair warns of government "exposure" in mortgages (Reuters)
Reuters - A key U.S. banking regulator raised concern on Wednesday about the risk of "exposure" the government is taking on in the mortgage market and urged more stringent standards for underwriting mortgages.

SEC defends $75 million deal with Citigroup (AP)
AP - The government is defending as "fair and adequate" its $75 million settlement with Citigroup Inc. over charges it misled investors about billions in potential losses from subprime mortgages.

Detroit gets rare assist from suburbs for fires (AP)

AP - As exhausted Detroit firefighters battled wind-fed blazes burning wild in some neighborhoods and threatening to char much of the city, a half-dozen departments from surrounding communities brought in sorely needed — and gladly accepted — help.

Home lending pace rises; most are refinancings
Americans applied to buy homes at the highest pace last week since May, but more than 8 of every 10 loan requests was for a refinancing, Mortgage Bankers Association data show.


Mortgage Bankers Association - United States - Refinancing - Loan - Mortgage

Closing Costs: Recently sold megahomes
These recently sold expensive homes sold on Realtor.com are as distinct as the regions they’re from.


Realtor.com - Real estate - Business and Economy - United States - For sale by owner

Plan launched to help 'underwater' borrowers

The Obama administration is trying to jump-start its sputtering attempts to tackle the foreclosure crisis with an effort to assist homeowners who owe more on their properties than their homes are worth.

Colleges going on real estate shopping sprees

Colleges and universities are buying up chunks of land at bargain prices, sometimes without a clear idea how they'll be used.

Pending home sales rise 5.2% in July
The number of buyers who signed contracts to purchase previously occupied homes increased in July but remained well below last year's levels, a sign that demand for housing remains weak.


Contract - Business - National Association of Realtors - Residential Housing - Construction and Maintenance