A new federal task force looking into fraud related to the housing crisis will begin by looking at big banks and investment firms on Wall Street.

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New Housing Task Force Takes Aim at Wall St.

With the next Republican primary in a state hard hit by the collapse of the housing bubble, free-market instincts collide with voters’ desperation.

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In Florida, Facing the Political Implications of Housing Crisis

WASHINGTON — A surge in apartment construction gave home builders more work in November. And permits, a gauge of future construction rose, spurred by a jump in apartment permits. The rise in permits provides hope for the housing market, though 2011 is still shaping up as one of the worst years in history for homebuilders. Read full article > >

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Apartment construction spurs 9.3 pct. jump in housing starts, but level remains low

Iowa, which largely sidestepped the housing crash, is an odd staging ground for an election that is often said to be all about jobs and the economy.

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Economy Rules G.O.P. Message, but Iowa Differs

A homemover report suggests it is now harder to move up the housing ladder in Scotland than to get on it.

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Housing ladder ‘tougher to climb’

U .S. home prices are set to fall further. There is nothing policymakers can do to forestall this, but there are things they can do to mitigate the severity of the decline. With Europe in disarray , the supercommittee struggling to reduce the federal deficit and a payroll tax increase looming next year, help for the housing industry could make the difference between a continued economic recovery and a double-dip recession. Read full article > >

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With home prices headed down, three ideas to soften the fall

A financial planner recounts how he and his family fell victim to the housing boom and bust and how they survived the ordeal.

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How a Financial Pro Lost His House

Citigroup was accused of misleading investors in a $1 billion derivatives deal, then betting against them as the housing market in the United States began to show signs of distress.

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Citigroup to Pay $285 Million to Settle S.E.C. Complaint

Private rents are now unaffordable in 55% of local authorities in England, the housing charity Shelter says.

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Most private rents ‘unaffordable’

Private rents are now unaffordable in 55% of local authorities in England, the housing charity Shelter says.

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Most private rents ‘unaffordable’

The time is limited for homeowners who want to ensure they aren’t hit with a big tax bill because they had to walk away from a mortgage obligation. At the height of the housing crisis, when foreclosures across the country began a troubling increase, Congress passed the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act of 2007, designed to provide at least some consolation to folks who had lost their homes. Read full article > >

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For homeowners in trouble, a tough decision to make

The downward spiral of the housing market, which experts expect will continue, has not only lowered home ownership, but tarnished a piece of the American dream.

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Housing Index Is Expected to Show a New Low in Prices

There aren’t enough euphemisms to describe a Big Freedia show in the pages of a respectable newspaper, but one must try. Because if the explosion of profane, posterior-centric dancing madness that took place at DC9 on Tuesday night creeps further toward the mainstream, trend watchers will have to explain how an ambiguously gendered, ornately coiffed, gruff-voiced rapper from the housing projects of New Orleans launched the next big fitness craze. If there’s room for pole dancing, then bounce can also help you get your core strength and cardio on. Read full article > >

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Big Freedia’s bounce explosion at DC9

The 14 largest U.S. mortgage servicers must pay back homeowners for losses from foreclosures or loans that were improperly handled following the housing collapse, according to a consent decree issued Wednesday by the Office of the Comptroller of the…

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Banks Must Repay Homeowners

In cities and counties across the nation, the housing bust is hampering efforts to provide basic health care to residents.

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Municipalities trim health services amid housing bust