Search Results
Journal Article
Mapping New England: heating fuel usage in southern New England
Two maps of southern New England tap 2006 American Community Survey data to show the heating fuels most often used in owner-occupied housing units versus the fuels favored in renter-occupied units.
Journal Article
The golden years dilemma
With 3.2 million baby boomers eligible to retire this year, how many will be able to meet daily financial needs and still preserve home equity? The author advises seniors to plan carefully and learn about the many forms of assistance available.
Journal Article
Mapping New England: child poverty by county
Childhood poverty is a concern in itself and also because it often leads to adult poverty. Communities & Banking looks at the region?s changing child poverty rate between 1997 and 2007.
Journal Article
Foreclosure prevention and intervention efforts in New England
As foreclosure rates have risen across New England, many have been asking for clarification about the full range of resources available to borrowers. This article describes the foreclosure prevention and intervention efforts currently underway in New England. We highlight the region?s largest initiatives as well as discuss the challenges these programs are facing as they work to provide assistance to consumers.
Journal Article
Research review: spillover effects of foreclosures on communities
A house is not just a physical shelter, but also a stitch in the fabric of society, integrating its residents into the life of the larger community. That is why foreclosures may hurt neighborhoods as much as they hurt those who lose their homes. Foreclosures may negatively impact a community when they depress the values of nearby properties, reduce the property tax base, increase blight and crime, and disrupt local social ties. We summarize some of the research that examines foreclosures? effects on the prices of nearby properties.
Discussion Paper
Receivership : a coordinated strategy to stabilize troubled properties
With the impact of municipal debt burdens, coupled with the effects of declining real estate prices and the US financial crisis, municipalities are looking for novel and cost-effective approaches to address abandoned, blighted and/or foreclosed properties that threaten the quality of life of their communities. Receivership, the use of statutory power to seize buildings and place properties under control of a judicially supervised 'receiver', can be an effective tool to tackle the problem of troubled properties which repeatedly violate safety and sanitary codes. Despite its potential, ...
Discussion Paper
Foreclosure's price-depressing spillover effects on local properties: a literature review
The costs of foreclosure often spill over from foreclosed properties to other nearby properties. This short paper reviews some of the research on foreclosure's price-depressing impact on sales of nearby properties, only one of several forms of spillover effects. The studies reviewed here focus on various cities, use different datasets and methodologies, employ different assumptions, and cover different time periods. Their conclusions about foreclosure effects range from reducing nearby properties' sales value by as little as 0.9% to as much as 8.7%. Research also shows that negative spillover ...
Journal Article
Mapping New England: real estate owned properties in New England
Lenders often end up owning places they foreclose on. Understanding where such real estate owned (REO) properties cluster may help communities to target stabilization funds better.
Journal Article
The myth of the irresponsible investor: analysis of southern New England's small multifamily properties
Comparing the borrowing trends of owner-occupants versus investors in small multifamily properties reveals that investors may not engage in as much risky behavior as public sentiment leads one to expect. The authors investigate data from Southern New England and debunk several myths about the ?irresponsible investor.?
Journal Article
Mapping New England: mortgage holders in trouble
A map showing ZIP code level median Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) credit scores at mortgage origination for those borrowers who are delinquent 60 days or more as of April 2010.