Mortgage Giant Fannie Mae terminates some loan support - 2004-02-05
Home-loan giant Fannie Mae no longer will purchase mortgages that force borrowers to give up their right to sue lenders, under a policy disclosed Wednesday.

Previously, Fannie Mae did not accept mandatory arbitration for most home loans but did accept the clauses for mortgages for subprime borrowers, those with weaker credit records who are considered higher risks. Subprime loans carry interest rates higher than market rate, to compensate for the higher risk.
Read the full story at Star Tribune

Portland No. 2 on 'risk index' for home prices - 2004-02-05
The Portland-Vancouver metro area places second on a national list of areas where home prices could drop. PMI Mortgage Insurance Co., of Walnut Creek, Calif., a mortgage insurer, gives the Portland region a risk index of 353.

The PMI Risk Index is a statistical model based on certain measures of economic activity and conditions that PMI believes is predictive of the likelihood of home price declines over the next two years.
Read the full story at Business Journal of Portland