Category Archives: Risky Lending

A little bit of fraud makes the market go round

Posted on November 15, 2025 by grim

From National Mortgage Professional: As Home Prices Slip, Mortgage Fraud Risk Intensifies As rates ease and overall mortgage applications have risen 8% from Q2 2025 to Q3 2025, Cotality took a deeper look at mortgage fraud risk instances nationwide in Q3 in … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing Bubble, Mortgages, Risky Lending | 57 Comments

Game Changer

Posted on November 9, 2025 by grim

From the Washington Examiner: Trump administration ‘working on’ 50-year mortgage to boost housing affordability Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte announced on Saturday that his agency is actively working to introduce a 50-year mortgage term, a move that comes … Continue reading →

Posted in Housing Bubble, Mortgages, Risky Lending | 35 Comments

Hollowing Out

Posted on November 4, 2025 by grim

From Fortune: Both subprime and super prime loans are on the rise, signs of a K-shaped economy that is a ‘prescription for real trouble’ The share of consumers taking out the riskiest form of loans has reached its highest peak … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, Employment, Housing Bubble, Mortgages, National Real Estate, Risky Lending | 131 Comments

Home Thieves

Posted on November 1, 2025 by grim

From nj.com: Realty company to pay $2.8 million settlement over predatory homeowner agreements A Florida-based company agreed to pay $2.8 million to settle allegations it preyed on more than 1,200 struggling New Jersey homeowners, forcing them into “unconscionable” financial agreements, … Continue reading →

Posted in Mortgages, New Jersey Real Estate, Risky Lending, Unrest | 27 Comments

Praying for a refi

Posted on August 26, 2025 by grim

From Fortune: Millennials and Gen Z are gambling on a big mortgage-rate drop, using ARMs and refinancing. But that could be a ‘financial ticking time bomb’ Mortgage rates have remained elevated since 2023 and home prices are at record highs, locking … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, Housing Bubble, Mortgages, National Real Estate, Risky Lending | 80 Comments

Monmouth foreclosures up (but the number is tiny)

Posted on April 17, 2025 by grim

From NJ1015: This county had the sharpest increase in foreclosures in NJ If you’ve been following the housing market in New Jersey, you already know it’s been a bit of a rollercoaster. Between rising interest rates, high home prices, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Foreclosures, New Jersey Real Estate, Risky Lending, Shore Real Estate | 49 Comments

Sounds about right

Posted on February 10, 2025 by grim

From Patch: NJ Residents Struggling To Pay Rent, Mortgages, Study Says: Report If you’re struggling to pay your rent or mortgage on time, you’re not alone. In fact, New Jersey residents are finding it harder than most to manage the … Continue reading →

Posted in Demographics, Economics, Employment, Foreclosures, New Jersey Real Estate, Risky Lending | 86 Comments

Anyone can get a $50m loan

Posted on June 19, 2024 by grim

From the Star Ledger: N.J. real estate investor admits role in $54.7M mortgage fraud scheme A New Jersey real estate investor admitted Monday that he was involved in a massive, far-reaching $54.7 million mortgage fraud scheme, federal prosecutors said. Aron … Continue reading →

Posted in National Real Estate, New Jersey Real Estate, Risky Lending | 104 Comments

What’s it take to get banned by Freddie and Fannie?

Posted on June 16, 2024 by grim

From the Real Deal: Meridian makes cuts to New Jersey office  Meridian Capital Group has let go of brokers in its New Jersey office as the brokerage goes through a leadership shakeup and a blacklist from Freddie Mac and Fannie … Continue reading →

Posted in Mortgages, NYC, Risky Lending | 26 Comments

Back Again

Posted on May 1, 2024 by grim

From CNBC: Demand for riskier adjustable-rate mortgages hits highest level of the year, due to rising rates When mortgage rates rise, consumers look for any way to lower their monthly payments, and that often leads them to adjustable-rate mortgages. These … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Bubble, Risky Lending | 105 Comments

Foreclosure Do-Over

Posted on January 13, 2024 by grim

From NJ Monitor: Gov. Murphy signs new foreclosure protection program into law New Jerseyans facing foreclosure will have a new path back to homeownership under a bill Gov. Phil Murphy signed Friday. The new law creates the community wealth preservation program, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Housing Bubble, Mortgages, New Jersey Real Estate, Risky Lending | 30 Comments

Like the good ol’ days

Posted on December 18, 2023 by grim

From Business Insider: HENRYs are turning to a little-known and risky type of mortgage as home prices soar  With home prices and mortgage rates sky high, potential homeowners — even those with deep pockets — are looking for ways to ease the … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Employment, Housing Bubble, National Real Estate, NYC, Risky Lending | 112 Comments

New home prices might not be what they seem

Posted on September 11, 2023 by grim

From Wolf Street: Mortgage-Rate Buydowns by Homebuilders Are Now All the Rage to Prop Up Sales, Lowering Effective House Prices in a Big Way, but Don’t Get Picked Up by House Price Data Homebuilders don’t have the luxury of outwaiting … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Mortgages, National Real Estate, New Development, Risky Lending | 35 Comments

VLY goes all-in

Posted on May 3, 2023 by grim

From the Real Deal: Jersey boys: Valley Bank emerges as lifeline for NYC real estate For a few weeks in March, it seemed like 2008 all over again.  The tech industry’s go-to lender, Silicon Valley Bank, was seized. Depositors rushed to … Continue reading →

Posted in New Jersey Real Estate, NYC, Risky Lending | 96 Comments

Don’t worry about commercial real estate…

Posted on April 9, 2023 by grim

From Insider: Most of Wall Street is panicking about commercial real estate – but Goldman Sachs says there’s little chance it triggers a financial crisis It seems like there are three words on the lips of every investor now that … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Mortgages, National Real Estate, Risky Lending | 24 Comments