Delusional Thieves Caught Stealing Entire Mansions - The Consumerist

Delusional Thieves Caught Stealing Entire Mansions - The Consumerist: "A ring of confused folk in Georgia are stealing entire million-dollar homes, deeding themselves the property with bogus paperwork and squatting inside."

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I'm not sure "confused" is the right word. Thanks to Mystery Reader for this fascinating story.

As Mountain Of Foreclosure Fraud Evidence Grows, National Media Has Decided It's Really More Of An "Oops!" | Crooks and Liars

As Mountain Of Foreclosure Fraud Evidence Grows, National Media Has Decided It's Really More Of An "Oops!" | Crooks and Liars

This link from Mystery Reader asks why banks can commit what appear to be crimes and nobody goes to jail, and in fact the national media don't seem to see much of a problem.

Banks Hired "Burger King Kids" To Process Mortgages - The Consumerist

Banks Hired "Burger King Kids" To Process Mortgages - The Consumerist

Mystery Reader strikes again. You wonder when the people who did these things will end up behind bars.

Bankers: We Wouldn't Hire Unqualified Robo-Signers If You Just Paid Your Mortgage - The Consumerist

Bankers: We Wouldn't Hire Unqualified Robo-Signers If You Just Paid Your Mortgage - The Consumerist

Thanks to Mystery Reader for this educational link. Why don't we just see the error of our ways and fall prostrate before the financial gods?

20 Unusual Houses That Are Now Tourist Attractions (PHOTOS)

20 Unusual Houses That Are Now Tourist Attractions (PHOTOS)

And no HOAs.

Yet another HOA flag flap -- film at 11

Fan takes flack for flying sports flag

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A flap over a flag is brewing in an Albuquerque neighborhood after the Ventana Ranch Homeowners' Association ordered a resident to take down his Pittsburgh Steelers flag.

Ronnie Martinez said he couldn’t believe it when he got a violation notice, or “friendly reminder,” in the mail two weeks ago.

“They're saying it’s a friendly reminder but,” Martinez said

That friendly reminder is ordering him to fold up a flag bearing the name of his favorite NFL team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, because signs are forbidden under Ventana Ranch HOA’s covenant.

Philly Suburb Considers Fining Those Who Don't Lock Cars | NBC Philadelphia

Philly Suburb Considers Fining Those Who Don't Lock Cars | NBC Philadelphia

Next: fines for people who don't say "excuse me" after they sneeze.

Homeowners association sues its own members, racks up $80,000 legal bill

Homeowners association sues its own members, racks up $80,000 legal bill

SAN ANTONIO - A fight between a Northeast Side homeowners association and their members has turned into an all-out war. It led to a lawsuit that has already cost more than $80,000 in legal fees. These fees will have to be paid by the HOA.

To some in the neighborhood the president of the Ventura HOA, Lisa Pfeiffer, is a bully. Eight of her neighbors say she is suing them because they tried to kick her out of office. It all started when they called a special meeting to kick out board president Pfeiffer after they became unhappy with how she was running things for the HOA.

“It's a classic example of intimidating -- picking a few people to intimidate the rest of the association, so that no one challenges them any further,” said Brenda Johnson.

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It's been said that in a democratic government, voters and not guns determine who governs. Apparently the latter is called upon to decide in Privatopia -- not weapons but hired guns in the form of attorneys.

Robo-signers: Mortgage experience not necessary

Robo-signers: Mortgage experience not necessary

NEW YORK – In an effort to rush through thousands of home foreclosures since 2007, financial institutions and their mortgage servicing departments hired hair stylists, Walmart floor workers and people who had worked on assembly lines and installed them in "foreclosure expert" jobs with no formal training, a Florida lawyer says.

In depositions released Tuesday, many of those workers testified that they barely knew what a mortgage was. Some couldn't define the word "affidavit." Others didn't know what a complaint was, or even what was meant by personal property. Most troubling, several said they knew they were lying when they signed the foreclosure affidavits and that they agreed with the defense lawyers' accusations about document fraud.

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The Great Depression began in October 1929 with the collapse of the stock market bubble, inflated by everyone and their cousin buying stock on easy credit with the expectation that the market could go no where but up.

The current economic downturn -- often compared to the 1930s -- will likely be remembered similarly. Mortgage lenders tossed underwriting standards out the window and extended mortgages to anyone who could fog a mirror holding the same "sky's the limit" expectations of residential real estate. The sad story continues to unfold, with mortgage servicers reportedly setting minimal qualifications for those who process foreclosures.