In my State of the Union address, I laid out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last — an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers and a renewal of American values of fairness and responsibility.

President Obama pushed Saturday for mortgage reform — an issue central to his election-year focus on the middle class.

The President, utilizing the populist rhetoric that has become his trademark on the campaign trail, slammed lenders and banks who sold loans to families who couldn’t afford them.

Full story is available on NYDailyNews

Last summer, when Andy Armstrong and Jennifer Beattie put their Wyckoff house on the market, their yard was lush with shrubs and flowers, highlighting one of the home’s strongest features — its swimming pool, along with a handsome deck. When their first buyer was unable to get a mortgage, they relisted the house and learned about some of the many differences in selling a home in winter.

In fact, each season of the year has its advantages and disadvantages for both buyers and sellers, affecting sales strategies and purchase considerations.

Full story is available on NorthJersey

Almost three years after she last paid the mortgage, Linda Ganguzza remains in her New Milford home  one of thousands of troubled New Jersey homeowners caught in a drawn-out foreclosure process.

“I have no idea where I stand, how much longer I have,” said Ganguzza, a 58-year-old nurse, who says her divorce left her unable to afford the home where she raised three children. “Do I move, do I hang tough, do I talk to the bank?”

Full story is available on LoanSafe.org

President Obama lays out a new plan for tackling the housing crisis, but will it be more successful than prior efforts?

The president had only to cross the Potomac River to Falls Church, Va., to find plenty of foreclosures.

Full story is available on pbs.org

At first, it was just something they joked about.

Danbury residents Tosha and Michael Gordon needed a bigger house to raise their family, while neighbor Rachel Williams — who lived across the street — was looking to downsize. Williams’ realtor suggested the neighbors trade homes.

Full story is available on ctpost.com

Foreclosed homes are getting a new lease on life. Wells Fargo company is donating several abandoned homes to non profit organizations in Tulsa. Channel 8′s Kim Jackson explains.

Many of the homes have been boarded up, but now they are the keys to someone’s freedom.

Fitting Back In is a place where ex-offenders come–to learn things like anger management–and how to fit back in.

Full story is available on ktul.com

Should you buy a foreclosed home? The savings can be huge, but so can the hassles and pitfalls. Here are a few tips for first-time foreclosure buyers to make sure the experience is a rewarding one.

How much can you save?

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), foreclosures sell for about a 20 percent discount compared to conventional sales. But that’s an average – many sell for much bigger discounts, and some sell for close to market value. Expect smaller discounts on homes that are in good condition and have not been on the market long.

Full story is available on NASDAQ

Foreclosure commonly represents the end of a struggle. A borrower can’t pay a mortgage, loses a home and moves on.

But Karen Mena, a 38-year-old county worker, never gave up. Mena fought even after her San Bernardino home was no longer hers. And she won the three-bedroom house back — at least for now.

Full story is available on Los Angeles Times

Three months of increased home sales have investors such as GI Partners, a mid-level private investing firm, looking to expand and invest in the foreclosure market.

It was recently announced that GI Capital has backed Waypoint Real Estate Group – which buys, renovates and rents foreclosures or short-sale single family homes in the San Francisco bay area– to the tune of $250 million, with the hopes of investing $1 billion over the next two years.

Full story is available on Wall St. Cheat Sheet