1. Finding one has become easier

The Obama administration lost a bid to add a powerful weapon in its fight against foreclosure Thursday, after the Senate voted down a proposal to allow bankruptcy judges to modify mortgages.

Lenders continued to rewrite troubled mortgages at a fast clip during March, but the weakening economy still sent foreclosure starts soaring to a record high.

Unhappy homebuilders make for unhappy stock market investors.

The nation's air has gotten marginally better over the past 10 years, according to an annual report released Wednesday, but many cities still suffer from severe pollution problems.

Read full story for latest details.

Read full story for latest details.

The Obama administration said Tuesday it is expanding its foreclosure prevention program to cover second mortgages and to direct more troubled borrowers to the Hope for Homeowners program.

The weak housing market continued to plague home sellers in February as home prices extended their losing streak to 31 consecutive months, according to a report issued Tuesday.

Read full story for latest details.

Sales of newly constructed homes are showing indications, ever so slight, that the housing decline may be near an end, a government report showed Friday.

Sales of existing homes fell in March, according to an industry report released Thursday, but analysts say the housing market is showing signs of stabilization.

When Richard Dugas, the president and CEO of Pulte Homes Inc. recently talked about his company's $3.1 billion purchase of rival Centex Corp., he added fuel to the fire for a possible wave of consolidation in the battered homebuilding sector.

Read full story for latest details.

Read full story for latest details.

The 26 cities with the highest foreclosure rate in the nation are all located in 4 hard-hit states, with Las Vegas topping the list, according to a report released Wednesday.

On paper it seems like the perfect time to refinance. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage recently hit a 20-year low when it fell below 5% in mid-March. And the Fed has said that it will spend $300 billion to buy back government-backed Treasury bonds; that will probably keep loan rates low for months to come.

Experts say consumers are unlikely to see their area mall disappear after General Growth Properties, the second-largest mall owner in the country, filed for bankruptcy Thursday.

The Obama administration's loan modification program is finally underway.

Initial construction of U.S. homes fell more than expected in March, sinking to the second lowest level on record, according to a government report released Thursday.