Credit reporting companies CoreLogic and FICO have begun including rental payments as a factor in determining an individual’s credit score, according to a New York Times report.

The majority of builders have faced some type of builder or buyer financing breakdown during the past year, according to a survey of Professional Builder readers.

Two-month extension will be funded by additional charges on mortgages issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

U.S. House votes not to extend payroll tax cut for two months; want full year instead

Two-month extension would be funded by tacking extra fees onto Fannie and Freddie mortgages

RealtyTrac released its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for 2011 today, which shows that November foreclosure filings were down 3 percent from October and down 14 percent from November 2010.

Financial services company Raymond James has upgraded some of the nation’s largest home builders to outperform from market perform, which essentially tells investors to buy shares of the company.

San Jose, Calif., Toledo, Ohio, and Athens, Ga., are among the 41 U.S. housing markets to make the NAHB/First America Improving Markets Index (IMI) in December. The IMI tracks markets that have shown improvement for at least six months in housing permits