Most companies strive to be family-friendly. Some brag that they are gay-friendly. But how many are faith-friendly? Read more…

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Americans continue having difficulties paying their mortgage obligations, with December foreclosure rates above the 100,000 mark for the fifth straight month. Read more…

Reuters - Washington Mutual Inc. , the largest U.S. savings and loan, said on Wednesday fourth-quarter profit rose 22 percent, as a gain from the sale of a mutual fund unit offset a loss in its mortgage business and weakened credit quality. Read more…

Reuters - U.S. investment bank Merrill Lynch plans to invest up to $4.15 billion in a property development partnership with Japanese venture capital firm SBI Holdings Inc. (8473.T), a source close to the matter said on Thursday. Read more…

BusinessWeek Online - It must be a familiar sight to shopping-mall operator Mills Corp. : Eager buyers jostling each other for a piece of discounted merchandise. But this time, the item in question isn't a sweater or handbag -- it's the company itself. On Jan. 17, the troubled Virginia outfit announced plans to sell itself to the Canadian investment firm Brookfield Asset Management for around $7.5 billion including assumed debt and preferred stock. But then the Israeli real estate company Gazit-Globe stepped up with a counteroffer the same day. Read more…

AP - Rates on 30-year mortgages rose this week to the highest level in nine weeks as financial markets reacted to a series of more upbeat financial reports. Read more…

Many homeowners consider For Sale by Owner when the thought of selling their home comes up - and with a potential savings of 6% it's hard to at not to. Read more…

When you're shopping for a house, it might appear that the friendly broker who listens to your needs, drives you around to showings and answers your questions is unflaggingly devoted to you. Read more…

In trying to get a read on how much real estate markets are slumping, some people may be looking at the wrong indicator. Read more…

AP - Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have made progress toward correcting financial weaknesses, but tight government supervision is needed as the mortgage giants emerge from accounting scandals, a federal regulator said Thursday. Read more…

Reuters - CNL Hotels & Resorts Inc. said on Friday that Morgan Stanley Real Estate will acquire the hotel real estate investment trust for about $6.6 billion, including debt. Read more…

From frozen oranges in California to deadly winter storms across the country, extreme weather has taken a very expensive toll. We tell you how to protect your most important assets from the wrath of Mother Nature. Read more…

AP - CNL Hotel & Resorts Inc., the nation's second-largest hotel real estate investment trust, said Friday it agreed to be bought in two separate deals worth about $5.53 billion combined. Read more…

Reuters - Citigroup said on Monday it will buy ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, an originator and servicer of U.S. prime residential mortgage loans that is a unit of LaSalle Bank Corp and ABN AMRO Bank NV . Read more…

Thinking about selling your home? Is it "ready"? Do you spend money to get it ready, and if you do, is it money well spent? Tough questions that have to be addressed before you FSBO. Read more…

How do you write an effective Classified ad for your For Sale by Owner home? You obviously have to grab a potential homeowners attention within limited space. Read more…

If you are trying to handicap how the world's automakers will perform in the US this year, there is no better place to start than looking at how they did in 2006. Read more…

Bill and Melinda Gates's "smart home" in Medina, Wash., cost an estimated $113 million to build - but that's pennies compared with what consumers are starting to spend every year on making their homes smarter. Read more…

It's your money - $ave it wisely! A successful For Sale by Owner could save you over $16,000 after tax dollars! Read more…

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The Motley Fool - Home prices, mortgage rates, and housing bubbles have gotten their fair share of print in the news lately. If you're a renter wondering whether to take the leap into homeownership, it may all seem a little overwhelming. Read more…

Let's face it, selling a home on your own may be tedious and time consuming. The tasks you need to do are extensive and the financial as well as legal aspects you have to consider are varied. But there's no need to be anxious. Just take on the challenge and with focus, dedication and the right knowledge, you can definitely do it by yourself. Experts say that home sellers who succeed are those who actively take part in the selling process whether on their own or with the help of an agent. Read more…

Super Bowl XLI is expected to generate a buying frenzy for high-definition, flat-panel televisions, with an estimated 2.5 million consumers saying they plan to purchase an HDTV before the big game Feb. 3, a retail industry group said Wednesday. Read more…

"Sue! SLOW DOWN!" Quincy Jones screamed, his normally baritone, saxophone-esque voice jumping into Aretha terrain, his body straining against all six racing belts holding him in the seat. In fairness, the Maybach Exelero's salacious side exhaust pipes were bellowing so loudly he had to lean on his own set of pipes just to be heard. I acquiesced, backing the throttle off from snarl to purr. Quincy shot me one of his famous looks. "You are a wild woman! I like that." Read more…