Mortgage Giants Fannie, Freddie say met 2003 U.S. housing goals - 2004-02-19
The leading U.S. sources of mortgage finance, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, declared this week they have reached the 2003 goals the government set for them for helping lower-income homebuyers.

The companies' announcements come on the eve of a debate in Congress on beefing up oversight of the pair, after the emergence of accounting problems and questions over how much they help low-income homebuyers.
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Home construction saw huge decline in January - 2004-02-19
The number of housing projects builders broked ground on in January decreased by a significant amount in nearly a year as bad winter weather played havoc with construction activity.

Home sales reached record high levels in 2003, powered by low mortgage rates that proved too good for buyers to pass up. Sales of both previously owned homes and new ones should have their second best year ever in 2004 - even with an expected rise in mortgage rates, economists said.
Read the full story at Marin Independent Journal