Tagged: Housing

Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway joined an effort to urge Congress to extend tax relief to homeowners who have had mortgage debt canceled or forgiven because of a decline in housing values. Since 2007 mortgage debt that is forgiven after a foreclosure or short sale can be excluded from a taxpayer’s taxable income. But that exclusion will expire at the end of this year.

Illinois' home foreclosure rate rose 6 percent in October compared to the previous month, and was 19 percent higher than in October of last year. A RealtyTrac report released Thursday shows Illinois with almost 15 thousand foreclosure filings last month, the third-highest rate in the nation. Filings include default notices, auction-sale notices and bank repossessions. Nationally, October's foreclosure activity rose 3 percent from the previous month but fell 19 percent from October of 2011.

Habitat of Hopkins County has built 57 homes since 1990, involving families, many volunteers, and robust fundraising. Hopkins County Habitat for Humanity aims to build 4 new homes this year.  Its executive director Heath Duncan is with us on Sounds Good to talk about how they get this done with local volunteers and “caravaners.”