10 Lies Homeowners Tell Buyers

Forget the market and climb inside the seller's head

(NEWSER) - It's not always the economy, stupid. Even in a weak market, buyers should consider a homeowner's situation before hurling a lowball bid, writes Daniel McGinn in Newsweek. One real estate broker offers five sure signs that a seller is ready to deal:

1. Nobody's home. Sellers who have moved on, or will soon, probably want to unload the property fast.

Times are tough, but your house won't sit on the market for long in these towns

(NEWSER) - The housing market overall isn't good, but luckily for some, there's an exception to every rule. Forbes points you toward 10 towns where sellers can still finish with smiles on their faces.

1. Raleigh, NC
2. San Francisco
3. Austin, Texas
4. San Antonio, Texas
5. St. Louis

'Equity strippers' deceive borrowers behind on their mortgage payments

(NEWSER) - A new form of fraud is thriving in the declining housing market, targeting desperate homeowners who are late on their mortgage payments. Known as equity strippers, companies cold-call burdened borrowers, promising a reprieve from their financial woes. In the end, they profit, and the owners end up losing their home anyway, reports the New York Times. More»

It's at 65.4%, down from a high of 69.2%, but analysts aren't worried—yet

(NEWSER) - The US homeownership rate fell to 65.4% in the first quarter to hit a 15-year-low, as foreclosures and a strong rental market kept Americans away from homeownership, according to figures released by the Census Bureau today. That's down from 66% last quarter, and from 69.2% at the market's peak in 2004. But analysts tell the LA Times there's no reason to panic—the market is just correcting itself after subprime insanity. More»

49 states sign on to deal with nation's top 5 banks

(NEWSER) - America's five biggest banks have hammered out a $26 billion settlement for their role in causing the mortgage meltdown, reports the Wall Street Journal . The deal—the biggest of its kind since 1998's $206 billion settlement with the tobacco industry—was hammered out during almost a year of negotiations between the banks and all 50 state attorneys general, reports the New York Times . The money will go to some 2 million homeowners affected by the crisis. More»