It's cheaper to acquire than rent a council house - 2004-02-17
Council tenants are finding it cheaper to acquire their homes - or even private houses - than continue to rent. They can be £15 a week better off initiating repayments on a £35,000 mortgage than renting.

Manchester has been ordered by the government to drop its rents in real terms as it emerged they were the highest in the region at an average of £51.58 a week.
Read the full story at Manchester Online

Market for prebuilt homes looks promising - 2004-02-17
From Woodland to Washington, optimism have soared in the manufactured housing industry following Fannie Mae's recent decision to slash in half - to 5 percent - its minimum down payment for a 30-year mortgage on a factory-built home.

Fannie Mae, the nation's largest mortgage purchaser, announced last week that it has partnered with nine lenders, including Washington Mutual, to offer the lower-down-payment loans.
Read the full story at sacbee