Tag archives for Stimulus

Former Treasury Secretary Recommends Federal Government “Dial Down” Home Ownership Initiatives

In light of the current administration’s dogged attempts to revamp rather than phase out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Hank Paulson, former Treasury Secretary, opines that once the housing market has stabilized incentives for home ownership over other investments should be “rolled back,” he wrote in a Washington Post op-ed last week. Paulson, under whom Fannie and Freddie Read full article »

Neighborhood Stabilization Programs to Get Discounts on REO Properties

HUD announced earlier this week that it will be providing discounts on REO properties to state and local governments and non-profit organizations during the already-established “First Look” viewing period for HUD foreclosed properties . “First Look” is a program that gives these entities a grace period in which they can view the home but other parties cannot. Now, in addition Read full article »

Barack Obama’s Stimulus Has Definitely Helped One City…

Congratulations Barack Obama!  Your vaunted "Stimulus Program" has done an extraordinary amount to help one particular American city, according to Mallory Factor, a well-known merchant banker who speaks and writes frequently on economic and fiscal topics for news stations, leading newspapers and other print and online publications. Which city?  Obama has claimed that his stimulus program has "saved or created" two Read full article »

Real Estate Investing & Economic Lessons Obama Never Learned

Between Christmas and New Years - at a time when most people aren't paying attention to the news - the Obama administration announced that it would offer unlimited financial resources to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  This money will be used to continue to bail out Fannie's and Freddie's current bad loans and enables them to continue to make lending Read full article »

125% LTV Refi Loans Are Back… Say It Aint So!

In another move displaying the utter idiocy of the federal government, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now again authorized to offer 125% LTV refi loans. Can somebody out there tell me why this makes sense?  Short answer:  It doesn't make sense, and this is short-sightedness nearly at it's finest. (The high-water mark for short-sightedness goes to the Obama stimulus program, Read full article »

The Politics of Real Estate

Few industries are as profoundly impacted by the political machinations in Washington as the real estate industry. Whether it's old legislation like Jimmy Carter's Community Reinvestment Act or Barack Obama's massive mortgage bailouts, the U.S. political machine has a huge impact (usually bad) on the business of real estate.

Ideally, we could ignore politics. But here at the Bryan Ellis Real Estate Letter, we insist on seeing the world with clarity - including the reality of Washington's aggressive involvement in every facet of our business, from mortgage lending to real estate sales license; from loan modification regulations to appraisal requirements... every piece of our business is profoundly impacted by politics. So rather than stick our heads in the sand and ignore reality, readers of the Bryan Ellis Real Estate Letter choose to be informed and prepared.

About Bryan Ellis

Bryan Ellis is an Atlanta-based real estate analyst and publisher of the widely read newsletter "The Bryan Ellis Real Estate Letter". With over 200,000 subscribers - including real estate investors, agents, brokers, appraisers and other real estate professionals - the Bryan Ellis Real Estate Letter is among America's largest sources of unbiased coverage of politics and public policy for the real estate industry.

Bryan Ellis serves as editor in chief for the Bryan Ellis Real Estate Letter and is assisted by an extraordinary staff of writers, researchers and editors who are each real estate experts in their own right and who assure that the news we report is well researched, factual, and highly relevant to today's real estate industry.

Bryan is very happily married and has two wonderful daughters. He makes his home in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. You can contact the team at the Bryan Ellis Real Estate Letter here.