If home prices and mortgage interest rates were the only things to consider, this would be a terrific time to buy a home in the Northern San Joaquin Valley.

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 4 percent this week, nearly matching the all-time low hit just one month ago.

The Obama administration on Monday rebooted a failing effort to help some homeowners refinance their homes, making it easier for some who owe more than their house is worth to get a new loan.

Two big questions loom over the Obama administration's latest bid to help troubled homeowners: Will it work? And who would benefit?

Jessica Harrison thought she knew what to expect when she decided to look for a house: a buyer's market. And why not? Prices in Minneapolis, as in much of the country, are down sharply since 2009. And with so many foreclosed places for sale, Harrison was sure she would find a good deal fast.

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage was nearly unchanged this week after rising sharply last week.Freddie Mac said Thursday that the rate on the 30-year loan edged down to 4.11 percent from 4.12 percent last week. The week before, it fell to 3.94 percent, the lowest rate ever, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.

Lots of new housing data is out, and none of it looks good for the Northern San Joaquin Valley. ome prices are down. Foreclosures remain high. Rents are flat. House construction is virtually non-existent. Third-quarter reports from assorted sources confirm the housing crisis isn't over.

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage rose sharply this week after falling below 4 percent for the first time in history.

Unhappy California lawmakers on Wednesday escalated pressure on the Obama administration to aggressively aid the state's distressed homeowners. In a show of political force and a reminder that the president has disenchanted some allies, House Democrats from throughout the state rallied publicly for stepped-up efforts that might fend off foreclosures.

The Obama administration continues to frustrate Central Valley lawmakers, who charge the White House with doing too little, too late for the region's foreclosure epidemic.

Tenants who could be facing eviction or foreclosure in this bad economy can learn about their rights at a free legal clinic Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at El Concilio, 224 S. Sutter St., Stockton.

California has pulled out of settlement talks with U.S. banks over abuses in the fore- closure system, citing a "troubling" upsurge in recent foreclosure filings in the state.

Jose Palomo was surprised when the knock on the door came in August, informing him that his California home had been foreclosed and he'd need to vacate promptly. After all, he'd recently started payments on an in-house mortgage modification with CitiMortgage Inc.

The home buying season was a bust. March through August are typically the peak buying months. But this time, U.S. residents bought fewer new homes in that stretch than in any other six-month period since record keeping began a half-century ago.

Home buyers, and those who'd like to be home buyers, can learn more about the process at an expo Saturday in Stockton.

Home sale prices remained fairly stable in August, with Stanislaus County homes selling for a median $135,000, RealQuest data shows. That's the same amount homes sold for a year ago.

Fixed mortgage rates hovered at record lows for a third straight week. They are likely to fall further now that the Federal Reserve said it would shuffle its holdings to drive down long-term interest rates.

Fixed mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in six decades for the second consecutive week. But few Americans can take advantage of them.

Just when it looked as if Stanislaus County's foreclosure crisis were easing, the number of mortgage default notices spiked last month. Those warnings are the first step in what often is a very long foreclosure process.

Mortgage rates have reached their lowest levels in six decades, making this the best time in most Americans' lives to buy or refinance a home. For people who qualify, today's rates could save thousands of dollars a year.

A company hoping to develop Modesto's first IMAX theater in an upscale urban village won't get help from city bonds after a disastrous land appraisal.

The Stanislaus County district attorney's office will proceed with another trial against a real estate agent accused of swindling a man after her first trial ended with a hung jury last month.

Real estate fraud is thriving in Stanislaus County, cleverly morphing as scammers find more ways to take advantage of vulnerable homeowners, a prosecutor told government leaders Tuesday.

The past month wasn't exactly a confidence-booster for would-be home buyers and sellers. They've witnessed a turbulent stock market, a downgrade of U.S. credit, a spreading European debt crisis and a U.S. economy that seems to be running in place.

A judge on Thursday declared a mistrial when a jury could not unanimously agree on a verdict in the case of a real estate agent accused of swindling a man trying to buy a house in Newman 10 years ago.