Lavish renovations to the $6.5 million Sutton Forest homestead have been the talk of the town. Council documents reveal plans for a pool, a tennis court, a gym and an entertainment centre, but insiders say the heart of the 45ha colonial estate, known as Bunya Hill, will be the stables. A source close to the family said: ``The stables are for Antonia. She's the one who's really into horses. Nicole is absolutely in love with the place; she thinks it's fabulous.

via news.com.au

Financial Industry Computer Systems, Inc. (FICS®), a mortgage technology specialist that provides in-house residential origination and servicing technology and commercial servicing technology to the mortgage industry, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2008.
During its twenty-five years in the mortgage industry, the company has worked with more than 1,200 mortgage loan origination and servicing operations and has seen, and been a part of, many changes that have occurred within the industry.

via businesswire.com

Housing starts, an index looking at the number of homes being built, fell to their lowest level in 17 years in the August report, but economists say that, while the monthly decline was steeper than anticipated by markets, a drop in construction is a precondition for the housing sector to stabilize.

via mortgagenewsdaily.com

Sollen Technologies, an Internet-based application services provider of product, pricing and best execution capabilities for the mortgage industry, has been chosen by Duluth, Ga.-based Brand Mortgage to use its loan pricing and pipeline management tool, Lender Online. The application allows the company's loan officers to sift through thousands of products to determine eligibility and locate the best price, within seconds.

via marketwatch.com

"Not surprisingly, June 2008 year-over-year RPX values continue to show weakness," said Michael Feder, CEO of Radar Logic. Feder said a close examination shows a mix of strength as well as absorption of distressed inventory, but added that "it is too soon to call this a bottom."

via mortgagenewsdaily.com

Yes, there are still lots of people buying homes in today's struggling housing market, and many of them are looking for luxury home. Right up there with those buyers are the rare builders, like Muellner Construction of Yorkville, who are having no trouble building -- and selling off -- $1 million to $4 million homes.

via suburbanchicagonews.com

Thousands of troubled home borrowers with loans from IndyMac Federal Bank will be able to switch to fixed-rate mortgages under a new plan from federal regulators, who seized the bank last month after it became the largest regulated thrift to fail. Most IndyMac borrowers who are seriously delinquent or in default on their mortgages.

via thestate.com

Consumer watchdog Which? has found that a mere nine per cent of mortgage advisers are following best practice standards. The survey involved first-time buyers seeking out deals from 50 mortgage advisers – independents as well as those in banks and estate agencies - across England and Scotland. Of these 41 failed to provide at least one key piece of information, while 35 did not properly check that the buyer could actually afford the mortgage repayments.

via findaproperty.com

The Account Switching Package, to be delivered by Treasurer Wayne Swan on November 1, is designed to help homeowners exit their mortgages in an easier fashion than current bank contracts allow. Mr Swan has claimed it will give customers the ability to "vote with their feet", but a progress report obtained by The Daily Telegraph suggests the system is flawed.

via news.com.au

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, has warned the UK’s mortgage providers that they must put their house in order over arrangement fees. The average fee paid is now over £800, up from £441 in 2005. Charges of around £1,000 are commonplace for a fixed-rate loan and some products, which carry arrangement fees based on a percentage of the loan, can cost thousands of pounds in arrangement charges.

via financemarkets.co.uk

The street was supposed to be the stuff of dreams. Along South Grasle Road outside Oregon City, six supersize Street of Dreams homes built in 2007 back up to ribbons of Douglas fir and a glazed Mount Hood peak. The builders came to attract future customers, and they were optimistic about selling the show houses that stretched to $3 million. Normally, two or three homes sell during the show and most are sold within a year.

via theolympian.com

Chief executive officer Steve Belle said during a Press conference at its Lower Broad Street office in Bridgetown last week that delinquency rates on loans fell within the five per cent threshold. Speaking directly to their mortgage business, the COB boss said this portfolio had increased from a high of 65 per cent in previous years.

via nationnews.com

Is your house looking a little rough around the edges? Does it need more improvements than your economic stimulus check can cover? Residential perfection may not be in your budget, but you can experience it vicariously at the Twin Cities Luxury Home Tour, which includes 17 high-end homes, all valued at more than $1 million. If you want some serious eye candy, head east for a peek at Classic Home Design's $2.4 million stone estate in Stillwater. What do you get for $2.4 million?

via startribune.com

While demolition crews are tearing down a house with its master bedroom hanging over a cliff edge, one family is fighting to save their home from being washed away by rising sea levels and wild weather. "Idyllic lifestyle my a...," Ross Keys said yesterday. "Ocean views are better but at what cost? We don't even open the curtains anymore - it's not a happy sight."

via news.com.au

Hundreds of grim-faced homeowners at risk of losing their homes to foreclosure filled Arlington Convention Center on Monday to ask for help. "I don't know what I'm going to do, but I've got to do something," said James Stalnaker of Mesquite. "It's getting harder to sleep at night wondering: Will I have a place to live next week?"
The large numbers at the event reflected the rising number of foreclosures in recent months.

via dallasnews.com