Real Estate News Blog July Archive

Most builders stay away from workforce housing

By Art C Ryter at 07/31/07 03:00

Discusses the difficulty homebuilders and contractors have in building affordable workforce housing, particularly in New England. Contributing factors are town and city growth ordinances, increased fees and permitting regulations, cost of land and the cost of building materials which are at a 15-year high. The lack of affordable housing for people earning less than $50,000 a year is depressing considering most of the housing land and construction values were inflated by easy credit. Rising foreclosures may make things easier, but waiting is a gamble.

Original source: . Most builders stay away from workforce housing

Suckered in by subprime lenders

Presents arguments for greater government regulation of the mortgage industry as subprime loan defaults are increasing forclosures. Paying poor people's loans through government bailouts to lenders so homebuyers can stay in their overpriced houses is not the way to go. The best foreclosure help is to send crooked brokers to jail and increase oversight of the mortgage finance industry.

Original source: . Suckered in by subprime lenders