Mortgage bank eliminates N. Virginia jobs - 2004-02-16
Washington Mutual is cutting 152 positions in the region even as it looks to establish a local retail bank presence.

Seattle-based Washington Mutual, commonly called "WaMu," says the latest round of layoffs will help trim overhead costs, allowing it to become more competitive in pricing variable-rate mortgages. The job cuts are part of the company's national effort to make its mortgage business more efficient.
Read the full story at Washington Business Journal

Don't buy into a mortgage mess - 2004-02-16
Rock-bottom interest rates and mortgages with low down payments have permitted more first-time home buyers to fulfill the American dream. But, for some, the dream has turned to a nightmare.

Many inexperienced buyers now face foreclosure, complaining they didn't realize the high cost of homeownership - everything from adjustable-rate mortgages to hidden taxes to construction defects.
Read the full story at www.delawareonline.com