Metropolitan Mortgage insurers hold risky assets - 2004-03-05
As regulators, creditors and bankruptcy lawyers go through the wreckage of Metropolitan Mortgage & Securities' business empire, they'll be scrutinizing the financial health of the group's insurance subsidiaries.

The three life insurers hold the vast bulk of the Metropolitan group's assets, and are among the few of the group's operating companies still standing after Metropolitan and its sister company, Summit Securities, filed for bankruptcy protection last month.
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Housing demand exceeds supply - 2004-03-05
The housing market tightened significantly last month, with closed sales decreasing as much as 25 percent and prices climbing nearly 15 percent in parts of King County compared with a year ago.

Fewer homes were for sale in King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties. But because demand grew and mortgage rates fell to their lowest levels since July, prices climbed and more homes received multiple offers.
Read the full story at Seattle Times