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A recent article in the Chicago Tribune touched on an unusual method homeowners are using to sell condos in buildings which some–but not all–units have already sold: They’re letting buyers lease to own. A lease-to-own purchase involves a two-part contract: The seller first agrees to rent a property for a set amount of time (the Trib says that’s generally one to three years); after that, the buyer can purchase the home at a preset price. I live in Chicago, and I noticed starting in about 2003/2004, a number of the condos that had sprung up on the city’s North Side…

The housing decline has wreaked havoc on the U.S. economy, global credit markets, personal wealth–but it’s left television untouched, according to a recent Associated Press article. A&E’s new season of "Flip This House" is gearing up for a new season, and TLC has six new home-related shows (!) premiering this year. And just look at HGTV–the network had its highest-ever evening ratings in January, undoubtedly due in part to its home-intensive line-up, which includes shows like "House Hunters," "My First Place" and "Designed to Sell." HGTV president Jim Samples says the slump actually has helped ratings. "What’s driving interest right…

The European residential market lately has looked a little like the U.S. market. Housing prices have stumbled in the U.K.; concern has risen about the Spanish residential market. However, there’s one housing type in Europe that’s flourishing instead of fading: Student housing. A recent Wall Street Journal article noted that investors are favoring student housing over office space and other property sectors that haven’t been performing at high levels. Student housing can provide annual returns of between 10 and 15 percent, according to Ralph Winter, chairman of Zurich-based property group Corestate AG–solid numbers in the recently rocky real estate market….

This week brought us a bunch of economic news–but none of it did much to calm fears that the U.S. may be sliding into a recession. A brief recap: On Wednesday, the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book showed that inflation and low consumer confidence are slowing the economy. Big item retail sales fell in the first two months of 2008. Regional banks gave out less loans. The number of homes entering into foreclosure reached the highest level on record in the fourth quarter, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. And homeowners’ share of home equity dropped to its lowest point since…

Many taxpayers are focused on the rebate check that will be sent this spring, courtesy of the Economic Stimulus Act–but the provision’s cash-back policy isn’t the biggest benefit for homeowners living in high-cost areas. The act also raised loan limits until the end of the year for Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and the Federal Housing Authority. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae can now back loans of up to $729,750 until Dec. 31; the FHA can insure loans of up to 125% of an area’s median home price (up to $729,750.) For places like Northern California–where homes way more expensive than…

For months, we’ve watched the painful subprime loan fallout–and waited for it to end. However, the current mortgage market mayhem may be about to enter its second act. We’ve discussed concerns about Alt-A loans before. They’re given to borrowers with good credit, who are deemed less of a risk than the subprime set; but there’s a bit of sketchiness to Alt-A loans, because they don’t require the typical documentation to prove income and assets. And lately, some Alt-A borrowers have been falling behind on payments, too. So CNNMoney.com is reporting that in the past month, mortgage securities comprised of Alt-A…

Home appraisals have been a source of confusion and concern for the housing industry–they’re important, but they’re also fairly open to interpretation. And lately, as the market continues to dip, accurate appraisals have become more important than ever. To sell, buy or refinance a home, you need to know its market value; but if the appraiser is employed by the company that’s giving you a loan, there is always a chance that appraiser may not make a completely impartial judgment. Sound like a conspiracy theory? Not to some people, who are taking their concerns to court: In early Feb., two…

Remember that list Wells Fargo was reportedly passing around–mentioned in Thursday’s blog last week–of new area-specific lending limits? It seems some banks are taking the restrictions to a new level. According to CNNMoney.com, some lenders are trying a new method to protect themselves against the subprime fallout: And it’s bad news for residents in high-risk areas like South Florida and Las Vegas. BankUnited–a unit of BankUnited Financial Corp.–and Vertice, a wholesale lending unit of Wachovia Corp., are among the lenders CNN.com reports are electing to not lend to certain areas, a decision that is forcing prices down even further in…

The recent Fed cuts increased business at mortgage companies like LendingTree.com–and decreased their need for advertising. The day after the last rate cut, LendingTree.com had a record amount of traffic. As a result, its marketing team immediately reduced its search engine ad campaigns, according to The New York Times. That may be good news for LendingTree.com, but it’s certainly not good news for the search engine ad sector, which has reaped considerable profits from financial services clients over the years. The Decline Goes Online Although the housing slump began in 2007, its effects on online advertising are just beginning to…

Wondering what the worst housing markets in the country are? Wells Fargo has made a list. Wells Fargo–the second-largest U.S. provider of home loans–denoted "soft," "distressed" or "severely distressed" markets in 24 states and Washington, D.C. in a document sent to mortgage brokers this week, according to Reuters. The list identified more than 200 troubled markets. Wells Fargo will restrict lending in those areas starting tomorrow, by limiting loan size to a percentage of home values–no matter how safe the borrower seems. The markets include: At least 33 risky markets in California, with a minimum of 20 counties, including Los…