CNBC:  U.S. mortgage rates rose in the latest week, complicating government efforts to bring mortgage rates down to levels that will spur demand and help the housing market begin to recover.

Jack M. Guttentag: A common problem among older homeowners is that they no longer have the income to service their mortgage, and they don’t have a good way to convert the substantial equity in their house into cash flow. The case below is typical.

CNBC: Sales of existing homes took an unexpected plunge from December to January, falling to the lowest level in nearly 12 years as pessimism about the economy grew and buyers waited to see how the new government would help revive the US housing market.
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Diana Olick: Beyond The Existing Homes Sales Headlines

CNN/Money: Many of those nearing retirement will have very little to live on thanks to an erosion of home equity.

Jane Wells: This week I spent some time with a group of Chinese multimillionaires touring America house hunting for bargains. They signed up for the $5,000-per-person trip through the Chinese version of Realtor.com, called Soufun.com.

Fast Money: Rick Santelli obviously touched a nerve with his rant heard round the Internet. But what’s all the fuss really about?
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CNBC: Santelli’s Shot Heard Around The World, And The World Reacts

The Street: When it comes to refinancing your mortgage these days, being able to lock in a lower interest rate is the good news. The bad news? Finding out how much it will cost you. And with tighter lending standards in place and volatile interest rates, that bill keeps creeping up ever higher.

CNN: With eyes tearing, some stare off into space. Others sit quietly with an expressionless pain as they wait for the inevitable. When you are called before this court, it’s the end of the line. You are about to lose your home.

Fox News: An activist with ACORN — the Association of Community Organization for Reform Now — faces criminal charges after breaking into a home in southeast Baltimore on Thursday to protest the foreclosure crisis sweeping the country.

The Street: General Electric shares closed down 5.7% to $8.85 Monday, amid concerns about its real estate holdings and other unrecognized losses.