Homes Backing GSE Mortgages Post 1% Price Gain in November

Data released this week by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) show purchase prices of homes backing mortgages that have been sold to or guaranteed by Fannie Maeand Freddie Mac rose 1.0 percent between October and November. For more data, click here.

Loan Modifications on the Decline

As robo-signing reviews reach completion, servicers are beginning to work through some of their foreclosure backlogs, according to a third-quarter report from Moody's Investor Service. Moody’s reports that as servicers work through the bulk of their delinquencies, modifications are on the decline. For more on this loan modifications story, click here.

Vacant Foreclosures Saddle Local Communities With High Costs

A recent study from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that non-seasonal vacant properties across the United States rose 51 percent over the span of a decade, from nearly 7 million in 2000 to 10 million in April 2010. For more on the study and what it means for the housing and foreclosure market, click here.

Number of 'Improving' Housing Markets Nearly Doubles

The number of housing markets showing measurable improvement nearly doubled in January, with the addition of 40 new metros to the Improving Markets Index put out by First American and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). For more on the improving numbers, including specific markets, click here.

Home Prices Down in 2011, but Market Stability Forecast for 2012

While year-over-year home price measurements notched down in 2011, prices are expected to see a slight uptick in 2012, according to Clear Capital. For more information on possible changes in the trend, click here.

Shadow Inventory and REOs Loom Over National Recovery

Several financial sectors suggest economic stabilization and growth, but the nation’s housing market continues to dampen overall conditions, according to the credit bureau Equifax. For more on this ongoing trend, click here for the full article.