Jan 07 Strategic Default: Immoral or Not? By Paul Solman Rounding out our series today, those of you considering strategic default might find particular encouragement from the web chat with law professor Brent White of the University of Arizona, who thinks it is both legally and morally okay. Continue reading
Jan 07 Unemployment Rate Falls to 9.4%, U.S. Warns People Named in Cable Leaks The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced Friday that unemployment had fallen by 0.4 percent to 9.4 percent in December. Though employers added 103,000 jobs, the figures are lower than forecasted, indicating a a slower-than-expected recovery. Throughout 2010,… Continue reading
Jan 06 Who Do You Hurt When You Walk Away? By Paul Solman More from the strategic default debate today. Economist Luigi Zingales of the University of Chicago, also in our original story, argues there are damaging spillover effects ("negative externalities") when homeowners strategically default. "By walking away, not only do you… Continue reading
Jan 06 Who Do You Hurt When You Walk Away? By Elizabeth Shell More from the strategic default debate today. Economist Luigi Zingales of the University of Chicago, also in our original story, argues there are damaging spillover effects ("negative externalities") when homeowners strategically default. "By walking away, not only do you… Continue reading
Jan 05 Strategic Default: Right or Wrong? By Paul Solman We've been concentrating on the housing crisis over the past several days here on the Business Desk. For the rest of the week we'll be focusing on the issue of strategic default. If you're an underwater homeowner who can afford… Continue reading
Jan 05 Strategic Default: Right or Wrong? By Elizabeth Shell We've been concentrating on the housing crisis over the past several days here on the Business Desk. For the rest of the week we'll be focusing on the issue of strategic default. If you're an underwater homeowner who can afford… Continue reading
Jan 05 Paul Solman As You’ve Never Seen Him Before Paul gets even more animated than usual -- with a new crib, new specs, new accent -- to tell you about our latest story, So You Have a Liberal Arts Degree and Want a Job?… Continue reading
Jan 04 Better Days Ahead in 2011? Measuring American Optimism in the New Year Say this about Americans: they are nothing if not hopeful. While 2009 and 2010 may have brought economic trouble and pain, the mood among most Americans appears surprisingly upbeat going into 2011. In each of Patchwork Nation's 12… Continue reading
Jan 04 A Mortgage-Backed Security Map: The Fantastic Fate of One Man’s Loan By Paul Solman The complexities of getting or refinancing a mortgage are many: the broker you can or can't trust, the screening of your income and credit, the appraisal, the fear that rates will rise before approval, the title search, the paperwork at… Continue reading
Jan 04 A Mortgage-Backed Security Map: The Fantastic Fate of One Man’s Loan The complexities of getting or refinancing a mortgage: the broker you can or can't trust; the screening of your income and credit; the appraisal; the fear that rates will rise before approval; the title search; the paperwork at closing. Continue reading