Bloomberg - "Treasuries Fall as Employment Growth Renews Inflation Concern" (7-6-07)

"Treasuries fell, extending 10-year notes' biggest weekly decline in more than a year, after a government report showing second-quarter job growth exceeded estimates renewed concern that inflation will accelerate. The Labor Department's employment report for June also showed that wages and salaries increased faster than economists expected, reinforcing bets the Federal Reserve is unlikely to cut interest rates. Yields on 10-year notes rose more than those on two-year notes as investors demanded additional compensation for inflation risk."

Yahoo - "Best and Worst Home Improvements" (7-6-07)

"Before you install that custom wine cellar or bamboo flooring, it's wise to make sure such upgrades won't leave you in the red long-term. Fancy features such as these might not seem so essential to a buyer with different tastes. Rather, in a market slump, sellers whose properties have the right add-ons get the highest rate of return on their investment, allowing them to move their homes faster and for more money than their neighbors."

MSN - "Hedge funds face subprime 'haircut'" (7-6-07)

"Investment banks are demanding more capital to back loans to hedge funds investing in US subprime mortgage-linked debt, as they try to head off a repeat of the near-collapse of two Bear Stearns hedge funds. The "haircut", or margin requirement, on financing provided to buy collateralised debt obligations (CDOs) backed by subprime mortgage bonds has been increasing sharply, in many cases doubling, according to hedge funds, bank executives and prime brokers."

Defective-Homes.net - "Lennar Homes Employees Are Not Happy Either" (7-6-07)

"We've received a few emails and phone calls from current and former Lennar Homes employees. It seems like the problems the homeowners are experiencing is starting with the way Lennar Homes treats employees. We are going to take the recommendation below and keep up a web page for current and former Lennar Homes employees to post their comments."

Orange County Register - "Orange County home prices and sales" (7-6-07)

"For the 22 business days ending June 21, sales for all types of Orange County home sales decreased 29.5 percent. The median sales price remained the same. The median is where half the homes sold for more and half for less. Types of homes selling, as well as home value changes, cause the median to change."

Orange County Register - "Builders turn to canine castles amid sluggish home sales" (7-6-07)

"You may know Standard Pacific, John Laing and William Lyon as big-time homebuilders for people in Orange County – but you may not have encountered their canine castles. The new doghouse designs are part of an auction on Aug. 5 in San Clemente. It's an offbeat marketing strategy in this sluggish housing market to garner more interest in the roughly 500 homes to be built at San Clemente's Talega housing community. From July 28 to Aug. 5, six dog houses will be on display at the model human homes built by these manufacturers. These lavish 'dogabodes' span 4 feet by 6 feet by 4 1/2 feet. One dog house will look like a whimsical cottage, another will mirror a sand castle and one will be designed in Tuscan style, just like the human home."

Los Angeles Times - "Trouble at H&R Block" (7-6-07)

"News item worth watching: H&R Block's efforts to sell its mortgage unit are running into trouble. If the deal falls apart, it will mark a big vote of 'no confidence' from Wall Street: " H&R Block Inc.'s mortgage unit lost a $1.5-billion credit line, falling 'dangerously close' to the minimum amount of borrowing capacity demanded by a hedge fund firm that has agreed to buy the money-losing home lender.'"

Real Estate Journal - "'Dracula's' Romanian Castle, Now a Museum, Is for Sale" (7-6-07)

"Bran Castle, one of Romania's top tourist attractions and a must-see for fans of literature's most famous vampire, is up for sale. Those willing to brave a price tag that could exceed $100 million will get the keys to the castle that inspired settings in Bram Stoker's "Dracula," said Michael Gardner, chairman of Baytree Capital, the New York private-investment firm handling the sale. The building in the Transylvanian region of Romania has become known throughout the world as Dracula's Castle, and is currently being used as a museum, he said."

Real Estate Journal - "Mortgage Mess Shines Light on Brokers' Role" (7-6-07)

"In 2005, World Savings Bank honored Secure Financial Inc. with a "Top Broker Award." It was a tribute to the sales prowess of Zak Khan, who arranged more than a hundred mortgages out of the small real-estate firm's Union City, Calif., office. But Mr. Khan, a onetime professional cricket player, wasn't all he seemed. For starters, his real name is Altaf A. Shaikh. Contrary to California law, he never held a license to broker mortgage loans. Still, he managed to find jobs at a variety of mortgage firms since 1997, leaving a trail of unhappy borrowers and a lengthening list of criminal charges and lawsuits filed against him."