Free Republic

Federal Reserve Report Shows Homeowner Equity Dipping Below 50 Percent, Lowest on Record NEW YORK (AP) -- Americans' percentage of equity in their homes has fallen below 50 percent for the first time on record since 1945, the Federal Reserve said Thursday. Homeowners' percentage of equity slipped to a revised lower 49.6 percent in the second quarter of 2007, the central bank reported in its quarterly U.S. Flow of Funds Accounts, and declined further to 47.9 percent in the fourth quarter -- the third straight quarter it was under 50 percent. That marks the first time homeowners' debt on their...

Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was arrested in June at a Minnesota airport by a plainclothes police officer investigating lewd conduct complaints in a men’s public restroom, according to an arrest report obtained by Roll Call Monday afternoon. Craig’s arrest occurred just after noon on June 11 at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. On Aug. 8, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct in the Hennepin County District Court. He paid more than $500 in fines and fees, and a 10-day jail sentence was stayed. He also was given one year of probation with the court that began on Aug. 8. A...

Police said: "The 56-year-old man from Chorlton, who was arrested on suspicion of section 18 assault, has had his bail cancelled and no further action will be taken against him." A householder arrested after a suspected burglar died falling from the top floor window of his flat will have no further action taken against him, police confirmed today. Patrick Walsh, 56, awoke in the early hours of last Monday to find an intruder in his flat on Corkland Road in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, south Manchester. Police said "following an exchange of words", the 43-year-old suspect fell from the fourth floor window on...

Last updated at 17:58pm on 8th August 2007 A homeowner has been arrested and quizzed by police after an intruder he confronted during a burglary fell out of a third floor window. The burglar, 43, was left fighting for his life after he tumbled up to 40 feet when he was disturbed rifling through through the flat. He is thought to have got up and tried to run off but collapsed on the pavement. Police, who received a 999 call, found him unconscious on the ground outside the smart Victorian appartment block in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester. The burglar fell from this...

Archeologist, homeowner at odds over spear point Wednesday, March 28, 2007 This Clovis spearhead is believed to be 11,000 years old. A find of an 11,000-year-old Clovis spearhead has an archeologist up in arms because the owner of the site does not want any further research conducted. By Melonie Magruder / Special to The Malibu Times The discovery of a Clovis spearhead, believed to be thousands of years old, at a local home construction site has the homeowner and an archeologist at odds on what should be done with the site. The property owner wants to finish her home and...

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A man accused of breaking into a Daytona Beach home was shot by the homeowner Tuesday night, according to police. Thomas Lockhard, 28, is in critical condition at Halifax Medical Center after being shot just after 10 p.m. at a house on Orange Avenue in Daytona Beach. Police said they responded to a 911 call from the homeowner, whose house had already been burglarized three times this week, and found Lockhard suffering from a bullet wound. "This kid, who is known to the guy who's already filed three police reports, tells him he's going to kill...

Law Says Homeowner Groups Can't Bar Flag Flying   POSTED: 11:09 am EDT July 25, 2006 UPDATED: 12:25 pm EDT July 25, 2006   WASHINGTON -- President George W. Bush signed a bill on Monday that would bar condominium and homeowner associations from restricting how the American flag can be displayed. Sponsored by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., the resolution would prohibit those groups from preventing residents from displaying an American flag on their own property. It was passed unanimously by both the House and the Senate.   "Americans have long flown our flag as an expression of their appreciation...

Homeowner alleges Bush family paid no rentBy Charles Robinson, Yahoo! Sports April 27, 2006 More Robinson: Who will pay for Bush home inquiry? Michael Michaels, who owns the Spring Valley, Calif., home in which Reggie Bush's family lived for nearly a year, said Thursday he will file a $3.2 million lawsuit for fraud against the Bush family Friday to recoup unpaid rent and other finances given to the USC star's family. Michaels' attorney, Brian Watkins, alleged Thursday night that Bush's mother and stepfather, Denise and LaMar Griffin, failed to pay $54,000 in rent for the home that has become the...

MAHWAH -- Two white watering cans and a yellow broom dangle above the porch of a stone and shingle house perched atop North Hillside Avenue. Just below, empty flower pots and plastic chairs and tables clutter the entryway. "No trespassing" and "Beware of dog" signs line the sloping property. The more-than-100-year-old house has been home to Samantha Moor for 10 years. Its sloppy condition is the reason she nearly spent the night in jail. Moor, in her late 40s, was arrested Tuesday morning and sent to the Bergen County Jail for failing to pay $4,921 in fines issued by Mahwah...

A little more than two years ago, Mario Barcia Jr. was awakened in the dead of night by banging on his door. Startled -- and shaken from two previous robberies -- he grabbed his gun and ran to the front of the house. Within a matter of seconds his life would change forever. Seeing what he described only as a bright light shining through his back door, Barcia fired a single shot. Five shots were returned. Then Barcia fired twice more. His first shot had hit Miami-Dade County police officer Chad Murphy in the back. Barcia was arrested and charged...

by RYAN SELF Staff Writer An Arlington man was shot in the face over the weekend after allegedly attempting to burglarize a North Arlington home and being confronted by a gun-toting homeowner. County police said Tuesday morning that 18-year-old David Jeovavy Valdivia Dominguez was arrested at Virginia Hospital Center, where he was seeking treatment for the wound. Police later transferred Dominguez to Inova Fairfax Hospital. After treatment, Dominguez was transported to the Arlington County Adult Detention Facility. Police allege that Dominguez was in the process of burglarizing a home in the 6000 block of 26th Street North in the Leeway-Overly...

A local pastor who has become one of the strongest voices in the state against a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage will be honored by Outreach, Madison's gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender center. The Rev. Curt Anderson, senior minister at First Congregational United Church of Christ, will receive Outreach's "Ally of the Year" honor at the group's 13th annual awards banquet Friday at Monona Terrace. The banquet will kick off this weekend's Pride Weekend events, which include the traditional Capitol rally, march and picnics at Brittingham Park. Carolyn Virginia, a member of Anderson's congregation, said she particularly appreciates that Anderson...

BOSTON - The New York man who sparked fears of a powerful new strain of HIV had drug-fueled, unprotected sex with more than 100 men in the months before his diagnosis, a top researcher said yesterday. Dr. David Ho of the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center in Manhattan will unveil today a case study of the unidentified man, who his team believes may harbor a mutant strain of the deadly virus. Skeptical AIDS researchers from around the world believe the case is isolated and not the beginning of a new epidemic. In a preview of the study, Ho said the...

THINKING OF REFINANCING your mortgage? Welcome to the club. With mortgage rates so low over the past few years, the question hasn't been "should you refinance?" but "when"? While conventional wisdom once said you had to shave at least 2% off your loan in order for refinancing to make sense, these days it could be worthwhile with an interest reduction of just 0.75%, says Doug Perry of Countrywide's consumer-markets division. That's because soaring home values, increased competition and automated underwriting (which can approve or reject your refi application in a matter of minutes) have made refinancing quicker, easier and potentially...

When I was house-hunting, one of the things that struck me about the house that I eventually settled on was the fact that there were no curtains or shades on the bathroom window in the back. The reason was that there was no one living on the steep hillside in back, which was covered with trees. Since I don't own that hillside, someday someone may decide to build houses there, which means that the bathroom would then require curtains or shades and our back porch would no longer be as private. Fortunately for me, local restrictive laws currently prevent houses...

<p>Couple lose their home over $120 debt By Michael Kolber -- Bee Staff Writer Published 2:15 a.m. PST Saturday, January 24, 2004 Get weekday updates of Sacramento Bee headlines and breaking news. Sign up here.</p> <p>COPPEROPOLIS -- A retired couple's dispute with their homeowners association has spiraled out of control in this Calaveras County community -- and now they have lost their home less than a year after failing to pay $120 in annual dues.</p>

YAY! I closed on my home today - a major stress load has been lifted. Anticipate moving in a few days before Christmas after getting some sanding and painting done. Built in 1948, expanded in 1963, it's an old Manhattan Project cement block home. Built as a three bedroom, one bath, the expansion added a family room and a master bedroom and bath. The original section has heated floors (and in homes costing $150,000 and up, it's called "radiant heating") and window AC units. The add-on has central heat and air. We're (we being my ten year old daughter and...

Defiant flag flier George Andres once again is facing the prospect of losing his Jupiter home after a Palm Beach County judge ruled Wednesday that his homeowners association could go forward with a foreclosure sale next month to collect legal fees. Andres, a Marine veteran, said he was worried about losing his home, but he vowed to appeal the latest ruling in a legal saga that has spanned more than two years.

Tony Martin's most precious possession, his dog Otto, was moved to a secret location yesterday hours after it was claimed that travellers planned to kill it. A newspaper reported that a £5,000 "contract" had been put out on Otto, the only one of Martin's three Rottweilers to survive since he was jailed. The dog had been moved from Worcestershire to kennels in Lincolnshire shortly after Christmas. Yesterday morning, it was taken to another, secret address. "Mr Martin was tremendously upset by the suggestion people were out to kill his dog," said Malcolm Starr, the farmer's closest friend. "They haven't been...

Killer of robber not to be charged Was rightfully defending himself By Chris Conley conley@gomemphis.com July 15, 2003 State prosecutors will not pursue criminal charges against a 22-year-old East Memphis man who killed one home invader and wounded a second. But Dist. Atty. Gen. Bill Gibbons cautioned Monday against taking the law into one's own hands. Ricky Ricardo Wilborn, 21, was fatally shot Friday night at 4555 Dunn. An alleged accomplice, Ali R. Ford, 24, was critically wounded. On Monday, police charged Ford with aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping of Jason Filippelli, 22. About 10:45 p.m. Friday, Filippelli was at...