David Stern, the Foreclosure King, Surrenders His Crown

If we’re to restore the rule of law in foreclosure cases, it’s going to take a lot more than the fall of Stern’s firm, which is just one of several “foreclosure mills” in Florida. Others are under investigation. Maybe some of t…

The Risks of the Mortgage Mess: The Banks’ View

HSBC got plenty of attention when it disclosed that it had suspended foreclosures in its annual report Monday. But its not the only bank whose annual report made for interesting reading. The risk disclosures in banks’ annual re…

Putting Consumer Debt Into a Bigger Perpsective

Before the Great Recession, U.S. consumer debt had risen fairly steadily for more than a decade. With the downturn, it finally dropped…until December’s small rise. However, a longer look at the trend of ever-rising debt shows…