Mortgage

We're talking about some of this week's biggest news stories: consumer debt, the new mortgage rules, and gun control.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is rolling out new rules for mortgage lending. Some bank analysts say that counter-intuitively the stricter rules could actually loosen mortgage lending.

Jumbo mortgages, too large to be backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, were hard to come by after the financial crisis. But in expensive real-estate markets like San Francisco, they're coming back.

Marketplace Economics Correspondent Chris Farrell says there is one bright economic spot to look forward to in the coming year: the housing market.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Obama administration is eying new relief for underwater homeowners. Who stands to gain from the program?

The national foreclosure rate increased by more than 3 percent in October compared to the previous month. Some groups across the country are trying to change that by buying underwater mortgages and keeping families in their homes.

Some analysts believe home buyers' willingness to take out mortgages might be running ahead of banks' willingness to lend to them. But there are likely other factors at play.

The Federal Housing Administration's annual report is due out this week, and there's concern that the agency, which insures more than a trillion dollars in mortgages, is in big financial trouble.

Costco hopes getting a mortgage through the big box retailer will bring more customers into the store for the things they'll need to furnish those homes.