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Fannie Mae Predicts ‘Moderate Growth’ in 2012

The U.S. economy is projected to grow 2.3 percent for the year, according to Fannie Mae's latest outlook. The GSE says growth will be affected by fiscal policies and political uncertainty. The upcoming presidential election, healthcare debate, and sovereign debt crisis in Europe are three wild cards causing concern for Americans. Recent improvements in employment, however, have elevated consumers from their ""summer rut,"" and the housing market is showing some positive indicators.

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Vacant Foreclosures Saddle Local Communities With High Costs

A study from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that vacant properties rose 51 percent over the span of a decade, from nearly 7 million in 2000 to 10 million in April 2010. Ten states saw vacancies go up by 70 percent or more as a result of high foreclosure rates. The elevated number of vacant homes carries a hefty price tag for lenders that must resume ownership after foreclosure, but GAO says it's local governments that are feeling ""significant"" pressure from the rise in vacant properties.

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New York AG Allots $1M to Foreclosure Prevention

Following an expiration of federal funding for foreclosure prevention in New York, state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman allotted $1 million to provide assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure. Schneiderman's office will distribute the funding to nonprofit and legal aid services aimed at helping distressed homeowners. Schneiderman released a request for applications for the state funding last week. Currently, about one in 10 mortgages is at risk of foreclosure in the state of New York.

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Fed’s Beige Book Depicts Growth in All Economic Areas Except Housing

The U.S. economy ended 2011 in better standing than earlier in the year, according to the Federal Reserve's polling of key business contacts, economists, and market experts throughout its 12 regional districts. Reporting for the latest Beige Book publication, all 12 districts characterized economic growth as modest to moderate - and that's without the typical recovery model in which housing serves as a primary contributor to economic expansion. Across the board, Fed districts labeled residential real estate activity as ""sluggish.""

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Veterans Lender Services and LRES Corporation Announce Partnership

LRES Corporation has teamed up with Veterans Lender Services to form a new partnership known as VLS/LRES. As the first nationwide minority and service disabled veteran-owned asset management joint venture, it will provide financial institutions with asset disposition solutions that provide jobs and market defaulted and foreclosed properties as affordable homeownership opportunities to the underserved first-time military, veterans, and minority communities.

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Foreclosure Starts Decline on West Coast

West coast states saw a decline in foreclosure starts in December, according to new data from the research firm ForeclosureRadar. In fact four of the five states tracked by ForeclosureRadar's monthly survey saw double-digit declines. The exception was Oregon, where foreclosure starts rose by 5 percent. Foreclosure sales in the West coast states were mixed but down far less than ForeclosureRadar says it was expecting, given lender announcements of holiday moratoriums at the close of last year.

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New Michigan Laws Make Mortgage Fraud a Felony

Michigan is taking a strong stand on mortgage fraud. New state laws that went into effect at the start of the year have redefined mortgage fraud in the eyes of the law and outline strict consequences for perpetrators. Residential mortgage fraud is now considered a felony in Michigan, and punishment includes up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $500,000. The new laws define mortgage fraud itself as a criminal act, whereas previously, mortgage fraud fell into the categories of false pretenses and forgery.

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Gateway Mortgage Group Launches Default Services Division

Gateway Mortgage Group is a privately held mortgage bank headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which provides conventional, Federal Housing Administration (FHA), and Veterans Affairs (VA) loans through 50 retail branches nationwide. The company announced Thursday that it has developed an in-house subservicing unit focused on the specialty and default servicing of FHA and VA loans and hired Kevin Osuna to direct the new operation.

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Voters Oppose Policies That Threaten American Homeownership

A group convened on the steps of the South Carolina State House Thursday to express their support of homeownership and opposition to policy changes that might threaten the American Dream. The outlook expressed at the rally mirrors widespread sentiment uncovered in a recent industry survey. About three-fourths of American voters said it is ""appropriate and reasonable"" for the federal government to promote homeownership through tax incentives.

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Former Presidential Appointee Devaney Joins IndiSoft Advisory Board

IndiSoft, a technology development firm that focuses on systems for the default services industry, recently announced that Earl Devaney has joined its advisory board. Devaney recently retired from the federal government after 41 years, most recently as President Obama's choice to oversee the distribution of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 stimulus plan.

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