Federal Housing Administration - "HUD ISSUES NEW MORTGAGE RULES TO HELP CONSUMERS SHOP FOR LOWER COST HOME LOANS" (11-12-08)

"For the first time in more than 30 years, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today issued long-anticipated mortgage reforms that will help consumers to shop for the lowest cost mortgage and avoid costly and potentially harmful loan offers. HUD will require, for the first time ever, that lenders and mortgage brokers provide consumers with a standard Good Faith Estimate (GFE) that clearly discloses key loan terms and closing costs. HUD estimates its new regulation will save consumers nearly $700 at the closing table."

Bloomberg - "FDIC May Exclude Shortest-Term Loans From Debt Plan" (11-21-08)

"U.S. bank regulators may exclude the shortest-term loans from a $1.4 trillion debt-insurance program, helping the Federal Reserve avoid further unpredictable swings in the country's main interest rate."

Bloomberg - "Citigroup's Pandit Doesn't Plan to Break Up Company" (11-21-08)

"Once the biggest U.S. bank, with a market value of $274 billion at the end of 2006, Citigroup has now slipped to No. 5 behind Minneapolis-based U.S. Bancorp. A plan by 51-year-old Pandit this week to cut costs by shedding 52,000 jobs and an endorsement by billionaire Saudi investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal didn't assuage shareholders' concern that bad loans and securities writedowns may extend a year-long run of net losses totaling $20 billion."

Bloomberg - "Commercial-Mortgage-Securities Holders Blame Paulson" (11-21-08)

"Top-rated commercial-mortgage bonds tumbled 24 percent in November, almost triple the worst month ever, as Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson reversed a decision to buy mortgage assets to help stabilize the credit markets. Investor confidence slumped after Paulson said on Nov. 12 the U.S. won’t make the purchases a focus of the government’s $700 billion rescue program."

Bloomberg - "Target Says It Won’t Pursue Pershing REIT Proposal" (11-21-08)

"Target Corp., the second-largest U.S. discount retailer, said it won’t pursue a 'highly speculative' plan for its real estate put forth by William Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management LP."

Orange County Register - "Wells Fargo to cut mortgage jobs in Irvine" (11-21-08)

"Wells Fargo is cutting 80 percent to 90 percent of its wholesale mortgage jobs nationwide, according to the Web site the Mortgage Lending Implode-o-Meter, including cutting a lending division in Irvine."

Realty Times - "Successful Marketing in Strange Times" (11-21-08)

"if aggressive, assertive marketing won't sell our products/services, and a passive, low-keyed approach won't work either, then what will? The marketing methods that are most effective – especially when people are a bit edgy -- are those that don't cause people to 'push-back' or become defensive. These marketing methods, of course, are ones which are relationship-based. Relationship-based marketing is more personal, less pushy and more natural. Let's once again use my program as our example. Remember, as we go through these illustrations, to envision how these marketing methods apply to you and your business."

Realty Times - "Investor Report: Avoid Over-Improving" (11-21-08)

"Ed Rooney, a long-time investor based in northern Virginia -- who has his own construction crews of carpenters, plumbers and electricians to renovate houses he buys -- says the key to making money right now is to spend less on fix-ups -- no more fancy kitchens and bathrooms -- and get out quickly."

Realty Times - "Educated Homeowners Surviving Housing Crisis" (11-21-08)

"The foreclosure rate for low-income homeowners who attended homeownership education programs had a foreclosure rate that was 20 times less severe than that for subprime borrowers and three times better than that found in the prime mortgage market during the second quarter of 2008, according to data from NeighborWorks America, a staunch non-profit advocate for healthy communities"