Mortgages: Mortgages - Shopping for Loans Online

BusinessWeek Online - One supposed obstacle to sorting out the millions of mortgages that have gone bad is that the home loans have been bought by investment banks, bundled together into bonds, and sold to investors. This widespread process of "securitizing" loans makes it difficult to go back and modify the terms of individual mortgages so that strapped borrowers might be able to continue to make payments, according to mortgage industry experts. ...

When it comes to placing blame on mortgage lenders, regulators, or consumers for 2008's crippling housing crisis, it's fair to say each played a role. 

Like most forms of hardship in our society, the foreclosure crisis is disproportionately affecting minorities. The New York Times conducted a study of foreclosures in the New York area and found, among other things:

Rust Consulting, which handled the borrower mailings during the Independent Foreclosure Review and is now acting as paying agent, continues to screw up in every way imaginable.

The Chinese service sector expanded last month causing many to believe the worst news regarding China was over. I think it has barely started.