A few months ago, while performing some web searches on Google for ‘Foreclosure related’ keywords, I found some interesting things.
I found Reply.com advertisements all over the place. Reply.com now has foreclosures? Further investigation showed that they apparently have found a little loophole in Google’s double ad showing policy.
Google Adwords prevents individual companies from having multiple ads appear at the same time for the same keywords. This is called ‘double ad serving.’ This halts companies with deep pockets from buying up all the ad space for their niches. Makes …

This week’s article, “Jumping Ship: How homeowners are walking away,” explored a disconcerting trend of homeowners “strategically defaulting” on their loans, despite having the ability and the means to remain current. The main reason of this voluntary foreclosure seems to be attributed to an “underwater” mortgage, or a home with a value lower than the amount of the note. Certain moral and ethical alarms sound off when considering this new option, which prompted the creation of a poll. Voice your opinion below.

As 2009 comes to a close let us revisit some of the top stories of the year. Undoubtedly the year was awash in news of a depressed economy and a depressed real estate market. However, with the cyclic nature of both these areas, we can only wait and see what developments arise in the coming year, and in the coming decade.
January 2009
Foreclosure Research reports mixed figures on foreclosure filings and REOs for 2008.
According to RealtyTrac there were a total of 3.16 million filings for the year. ForeclosureS.com reported …

On the upside, while foreclosures are up from previous years, many states have seen consecutive months of decreased foreclosure rates. Some experts say recent legislation, specifically the Obama Administration’s Making Home Affordable Program, has played a significant role in the latest figures.
The program offers homeowners with mortgages guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac the option to refinance at more affordable rates or more affordable payment schedules. The program is back by $75 billion in tax payer funds.
However, the billion dollar question may be “is it working?” According …

A recent study has emerged profiling homeowners who have voluntarily defaulted on their mortgages. According to the study from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, as many as 1 in 4 homeowners walked away from their homes, “despite the ability to make mortgage payments.”
The study titled, “Moral and Social Constraints to Strategic Defaults,” found that declining home values was a significant factor in increased defaults, surprisingly much more influential than that of job loss.
Another interesting finding was that as defaults increased, so did the likelihood that a homeowner would …

Looking back on the last six months of 2009, foreclosures have seen their share of increases, decreases and record highs- or at least depending on who you ask. This inconsistency leaving the country to wonder what lies ahead for the economy. Many economists and real estate experts predict foreclosures will increase to highs greater than seen in years prior, while others predict a softening.
One thing is certain. The media has made it quite apparent that the worst is yet to come, highlighting reports of heightening foreclosure filings, or notices of …

Yet another economically depressing article has made its way into the media and with an aptly named title, “And Now For This Morning’s Gloom…” The article, written by Henry Blodget and published in The Business Insider on May 5, 2009 offers more insight into foreclosures, job loss, and the economy.
However, there was one noticeable red flag where there was a reference to an unlikely source when discussing the implications of foreclosures on job loss. The following is a snippet from the article:
“According to RealtyTrac, job losses result in …

Throughout Foreclosure Research’s endeavor to find the truth behind foreclosure data, many different avenues have been explored to help demystify foreclosure statistics. Some of the more obvious causes of these untruths so to speak, came from the inaccuracies of several foreclosure listing providers, and from faulty reporting in the media.
However, the underlying truth behind the economy, foreclosures, and the housing market downturn are unarguably complex. Yet many factors are identifiable and some more pertinent than others.
One interesting perspective that has yet to be noted comes from Jay Brinkmann, a …

With 2009 now upon us, let us review the past year and see how the real estate market and the media reporting it have evolved from day one.
July 2008: the birth of Foreclosure Research
Key Points:
-Lack of articles publishing current decreases in foreclosures but rather focusing on increases from prior years.
-RealtyTrac reports 3% decrease in foreclosures from May to June, ForeclosureS.com reports 5.35% increase from May to June.
- No “current foreclosure” statistics available on RealtyTrac or ForeclosureS.com, making it nearly impossible to confirm their reported statistics.
August 2008
Key Points:
-Article reports conflicting numbers …