Buyers eager to snatch up deals on Florida condos may have to fork over bigger down payments and face more intense reviews of their potential purchases. ...more

February 6, 2009

Buyers anxious to snatch up deals on Florida condos may have to plunk down higher down payments and have the condominium complex scrutinized. Fannie Mae, one of the largest providers of U.S. mortgages, is requiring more cash upfront and taking over the condo review process from its lenders. Amy Bonitatibus, Fannie Mae spokeswoman, said that's because condos are at a higher risk of failure in this economy. ...more

February 5, 2009

Senate Republicans circulated a sweeping plan to drive down the cost of mortgages by expanding the federal government's role in the industry, officials said Monday night as debate opened on an economic stimulus bill at the top of President Barack Obama's agenda. ...more

February 2, 2009

Mortgage finance company Freddie Mac said it will allow some borrowers to rent their homes after losing them to foreclosure. ...more

January 31, 2009

The Federal Reserve is taking steps to keep some distressed borrowers in their homes, but it may not make much of a dent in the nation's housing crisis. ...more

January 29, 2009

With the country stuck in a painful recession, the Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep its key interest rate at an all-time low this week and examine other unconventional ways to lift the economy. ...more

January 26, 2009

This is in reference to Dick Ford's Jan. 13 letter "Democratic Recession." Like most Republicans he feels Democrats are always to blame for all of the ills of our country. Republicans insist the 2001 economic down turn was in progress and inherited by Bush from the Clinton administration. Even though Obama will inherit the current recession (maybe depression) from Bush, I'm sure you Republicans will find a way to blame it on the Democrats. ...more

January 18, 2009

Hernando County Commissioners recently approved a $12 million increase in our 2009 budget. ...more

January 14, 2009

I saw a feature writer column in today's (Jan. 1) paper titled "2008 Democracy Recession." I thought our present recession was caused by the hatred of the Democrats for George W. Bush. Bush told Congress in 2002 that the lack of regulatory restraint on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac was a potential problem that would cause strong repercussions in the financial markets. Rep. Barney Frank and Sen. Charles Schumer brushed him off and paid no heed. Then in 2005, Alan Greenspan told Congress to enable these institutions to increase in size, "Would place the total financial system of the future at a substantial risk." Even Sen. McCain, in 2005, said on the Senate floor that these institutions needed to be reformed. However the Democrats' bias toward Bush resulted in no action. ...more

January 3, 2009

It's very disturbing when you're always reading about the common man-woman losing their jobs. What makes it worse, you read about the government bailing all these big companies out of their financial problems. Where is the government for the real workers? They should be considered before the big companies. It isn't the common workers' fault the bosses miss-managed funds and only looked out for themselves. ...more

December 27, 2008