The Latest Debt & Finance Blog

Housing market

Housing Market Expected to Rebound in 2013

By Bill Fay | December 7, 2012

With just a few weeks remaining until the end of the year, millions of Americans are seeking ways to make 2013 better, especially from a financial perspective. From making new…

Fiscal cliff

Five Things You Need to Know About the ‘Fiscal Cliff’

By Bill Fay | December 6, 2012

Where do you stand on the so-called “fiscal cliff,” which the U.S. economy may or may not be stepping off of at midnight Dec. 31? Before you answer, read over…

FHFA

Obama Eyeing New Leader for Federal Housing Finance Agency

By Bill Fay | December 6, 2012

Facing increased scrutiny from housing advocates and community groups, President Barack Obama is being asked once again to sidestep political protocol to replace Ed DeMarco, the acting head of the…

Auto sales jump in November

Amid Fiscal Uncertainty, U.S. Auto Sales Jump 15 Percent in November

By Bill Fay | December 5, 2012

Despite a devastating hurricane that wiped away much of the Eastern seaboard in October and the constant warnings of an impending fiscal cliff and tax hikes in the coming year,…

Fast-food workers go on strike

Fast-Food Workers in NYC Go On Strike: I’m Lovin’ It

By Bill Fay | December 5, 2012

“You deserve a break today, So get out and get away … to McDonald’s!” Last week, 200 New York City fast food workers took a break and got away from…

No compromise on fiscal cliff

Republicans’ Counteroffer on Fiscal Crisis Blasted by White House

By Bill Fay | December 4, 2012

Republican leaders sent a letter to President Obama on Monday, proposing solutions to the debt crisis that include spending cuts of $1.4 trillion and an overhaul of the tax code…

Housing market rebounds

Foreclosures on Hold for Holidays as Housing Market Slowly Recovers

By Bill Fay | December 4, 2012

With an improving economy and programs aimed at helping homeowners stay current with their mortgages, housing-market analysts say that 2012 will prove to be a turnaround year for homeowners and…

Military and the fiscal cliff

Where Does the Military Stand on the Fiscal Cliff?

By Bill Fay | December 3, 2012

As much as President Obama and Congress have talked about dealing with the “fiscal cliff,” there is one term noticeably missing from the discussion: Sequestration and its effect on the…

Rutgers coach, AD get million-dollar settlements in abuse scandal.

New Jersey Residents Don’t Deserve to Pay for Rutgers’ Rice, Pernetti Ousters

By Bill Fay | December 2, 2012

Imagine being forced to leave your job . . . and being forced to accept $1.2 million on your way out the door. That was the case at Rutgers University,…

Groupon struggles

Groupon and LivingSocial Struggle as Daily Deals Lose Popularity

By Katherine Pilnick | November 30, 2012

Groupon executives decided Thursday to keep their CEO, Andrew Mason, but for how long? Amid rapid revenue declines in the daily deal industry, experts wonder if the fad has run…

Sources:

  1. Miller, M. (2012, December 5). Federal clampdown looming on reverse mortgages. Reuters. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/05/us-column-miller-reversemortgage-idUSBRE8B40TP20121205
  2. Thomas, M. (2012, December 6). Short sales on homes surge as tax break nears end. San Antonio Business Journal. Retrieved from http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2012/12/06/short-sales-on-homes-surge-as-tax.html
  3. Associated Press. (2012, December 6). Mortgage rates tick up, above record low. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2012/12/06/mortgage-rates/1750735/
  4. Fitzgerald, J. (2012, December 2). Foreclosure crisis fading. The Boston Globe. Retrieved from http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/2012/12/02/efforts-fight-foreclosure-finally-starting-pay-off/CIuIAZOvUUU3OY3Nyo15qI/story.html
  5. Hopkins, C. (2012, November 14). Negative Equity Recedes in Third Quarter; Fewer than 30% of Homeowners with Mortgages Now Underwater. Message posted to http://www.zillow.com/blog/2012-11-14/negative-equity-recedes-in-third-quarter-fewer-than-30-of-homeowners-with-mortgages-now-underwater/
  6. Mui, Y. (2012, June 11). Americans saw wealth plummet 40 percent from 2007 to 2010, Federal Reserve says. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/fed-americans-wealth-dropped-40-percent/2012/06/11/gJQAlIsCVV_story.html