Briefly
From Times Wire Reports
* The delinquency rate for mortgage loans on one- to four-unit residential properties statewide decreased during the third quarter, while the percentage of mortgages in foreclosure also fell, the California Mortgage Bankers Assn. reported.
* Indicating a strong finish to what has been a record-breaking year for home sales, builder confidence in the new-homes marketplace remained unchanged in December from November, according to the National Assn. of Home Builders’ monthly Housing Market Index.
* President Bush has named Alphonso Jackson, the No. 2 executive at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to succeed Mel Martinez. The nomination awaits Senate confirmation.
From Times Wire Reports
