The American dream has become a foolish fetish -- and yet to end it, we need to make haste slowly.


Social Sciences - Psychology - Dreams - United States - Products and Services

The Obama administration is grappling over how much to force private lenders to pay for apartments and homes for the poor as it presses ahead with a major overhaul of the government's housing policy, officials said.


Affordable housing - Real estate - Business - Residential - Housing

Issues concerning transportation, education, the environment and land development affect decisions about where we live. Here's how some of these topics were reported this week in the Metro section or at PostLocal.com.



Real estate - United States - Business - Services - Property Law and Real Estate

A federal agency is moving to prohibit controversial "private transfer fees" on all mortgages funded by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But its proposed ban might extend to transfer fees routinely collected by community associations across the country -- potentially forcing some of them to raise asse...

It was just the kind of building site that Frank Lloyd Wright loved to tackle: The steep piece of land in a heavily treed corner of Bethesda was generally thought to be unbuildable. The driveway, a nearly straight drop from the wooded road above, was daunting. In addition, the only flat area was ...


franklloydwright - Arts - Architecture - Building Types - Photography

Mortgage rates fell this week to the latest in a series of record lows amid concerns about the state of the U.S. economy, according to a survey released Thursday by Freddie Mac.



Mortgages - United States - Business - Financial Services - Mortgage loan

Shoppers browse in Savage's antique shops. Neighbors gather by the community hall for summer-evening concerts. Children play in local recreation leagues. It all seems so peaceful.


Howard County Maryland - Maryland - United States - Howard - Counties

Homebuilder takeovers may increase as tumbling demand for new houses and a faltering U.S. economic recovery spur companies to consolidate to gain market share, according to Citigroup.



Business - Mergers and acquisitions - Consulting - Business Services - Meritage Homes Corporation

BOUNDARIES: To the north, Madison Street (and a small jag of Woodward Street). To the east, Route 32. To the south, the Little Patuxent River. To the west, Savage Park.


Maryland - Howard County Maryland - United States - Counties - Howard

With the cost of an undergraduate education at some private institutions exceeding $200,000, parents should be looking for any way possible to take the sting out of sending a child to college. In addition to tuition, one significant component of total college cost is the room portion of room and ...


Dormitory - Home - Furniture - Student - Business and Economy

A federal agency is moving to prohibit controversial "private transfer fees" on all mortgages funded by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But its proposed ban might extend to transfer fees routinely collected by community associations across the country -- potentially forcing some of them to raise asse...


Transfer - Federal Housing Finance Agency - Fannie Mae - Politics - Freddie Mac

DEAR TIM: I'm at my wits' end with toilet bowl cleaners. My toilet has light and dark stains in the bottom of the bowl, as well as up under the rim. I've tried the usual brands of toilet bowl cleaner, but none does anything to cut the stains. What's causing the stains? And what, if anything, can ...


Hard water - Shopping - Water - Water Resources - Environment

This summer has been a challenging one for keeping plants growing. Record-breaking temperatures in July and August have created heat stress for plants. According to the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration, the May-to-July period was the warmest on record for the Northeast and Southeas...


Gardens - Home - Organizations - Master Gardeners - Business

Can a big house be green? Yes, but a smaller house will always be greener because fewer resources were used in its construction and less energy is needed to heat and cool it. This critical distinction is little understood by the general public, but in the world of green building, prudent use of r...


White - Photography - Black-and-white - Photographers - Arts

Q: My sump pump is six years old, and I worry about it failing in an emergency. I was thinking of buying a backup pump and keeping it on a shelf in case the basement floods and the existing pump fails. What is your opinion? -- D. Andrews



Sump pump - Pump - Business - Industrial Goods and Services - Fluid Handling

Q: I'm starting to hear about lenders that are offering 3.85 percent and even 3.75 percent on a 15-year mortgage, which makes me think it might be time to refinance. How do I find a good and trustworthy lender?


Loan - Business - Financial Services - Mortgages - Refinancing

Daily Mail
FHFA's proposed ban on private transfer fees could cost homeowners
Washington Post
... wrong time to eliminate a program that halts foreclosures, helps restart failed projects, creates jobs and reduces upfront costs to American homebuyers. ...
Mortgage rates again fall to record lowsWashington Post

all 524 news articles »

Mortgage rates again fall to record lows
Washington Post
Record low interest rates have yet to spur home sales, which are being weighed down by unemployment and the end of a federally sponsored home-buyer tax ...

and more »

Washington Post
Jobless claims jump to nine-month high
Washington Post
... implemented an $862 billion stimulus plan, a cash-for-clunkers rebate plan, a tax credit for home buyers and other government-paid-for programs. ...

and more »