The Patriot News reports from Pennsylvania. "State and federal regulators are looking at ways to cut down on the risky loans in an effort to curb foreclosure rates. Pennsylvania has not escaped the national trend. Foreclosure filings in the state shot up 34 percent, from 28,650 in 2005 to 38,333 in 2006, according to RealtyTrac."

"Cumberland County had 218 foreclosures in 2005 and that number jumped 53 percent, to 334, in 2006. Chris Gulotta, executive director of the Cumberland County Housing, said the county numbers might be a result of the higher median prices of houses in Cumberland County."

"People with more expensive homes in Cumberland County generally have larger mortgages, he said. 'I think the foreclosure issue, it's a combination of the effect of the adjustable-rate mortgage and relatively serious increases in interest rates,' he said."

The Journal Sentinel. "Hard times and bad choices have landed thousands of Wisconsinites in deep trouble on their home mortgages. Foreclosure filings, which rocketed 34% in the state last year, jumped another 27% in this year's first two months, reported ForeclosuresWI."

"'We have credible lenders and good laws. What we need is much better education,' said Bill Malkasian, president of Wisconsin Realtors Association."

"One important lesson that needs reinforcing right now is delayed gratification, said Jim Kopp, past president of Wisconsin Mortgage Bankers Association. 'Some people say, 'I want it now and I want it easy.' But they may not be getting the best deal they could,' Kopp said."

"By June, the two men say, their trade groups will have a consumer alert to distribute, 'in time for the spring selling season,'' Malkasian said."

"Of the 300 to 350 calls a day fielded by Homeownership Preservation Foundation's consumer hotline - a 600% increase over 2006 - about half involve non-prime loans, VP Dean Caldwell-Tautges said. 'A lot of the people that are having trouble now are in loans that are not more than a year old,' Caldwell-Tautges said."

From KFVS 12 in Illinois. "In recent years, it seems there's always something new under construction in Marion, Illinois. But can the local building market continue to grow when national trend is the opposite?"

"'Right at the moment, the outlook is very, very promising,' said Arthur Mize with the Home Builders Association of Southern Illinois. 'But we're all standing on eggshells because this little building bubble that we've got going on could collapse.'"

"Some folks who checked out the Spring Home Expo said they're stuck in limbo; they want to build a new home, but can't because of a slowing real estate market. 'We have a house on the market, so we're like a lot of people we've got to sell in order to build,' said Craig Baumgarten."

"New homes keep going up as Williamson County grows in leaps and bounds, which makes contractors optimistic that the local building bubble will stay intact. 'Marion has been a boom town for the past few years, and hopefully the next few years,' said Mize."

The Daily Nonpareil from Iowa. "Donna McFadden, director of the home ownership program with Family Housing Advisory Services, said foreclosures are becoming more of a concern as many adjustable-rate mortgages have adjusted upward. 'We probably see at least two a week,' she said. 'A year ago it could have been maybe, three or four a month.'"

"Scott Simpson of Western Horizons Mortgage Group in Council Bluffs said during a recent week his office saw six people who could have been approved for a home loan six months ago, but no longer were eligible. 'The person that was a tougher credit, or a credit risk, so to speak...those people are not going to be able to get a home loan,' he said."

"'It's going to get real ugly, I'm afraid,' Simpson said. 'I don't think people understand what's going to happen.'"

"Byron Menke, president of the Southwest Iowa Association of Realtors, said the situation has been a topic of discussion and some tightening was expected on institutions that issue higher-risk loans. Many of the problems will come from those individuals who entered 'creative financing' agreements with 100 percent financing, he said."

"'They just walked away because there's nothing invested on their part,' Menke said."

From USA Today. "A 10% drop in home sales in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area at the start of the year was actually good news. The area's housing market looked even worse at the end of 2006, according to the Minnesota Association of Realtors."

"The Twin Cities area enjoyed double-digit price appreciation from 2000 to 2002, after which price increases slowed to the single digits."

"Those who expect to sell need to keep their homes well-maintained. 'People aren't willing to spend that much money anymore for properties that need work,' notes Chris Galler, senior vice president of the association."

"Real estate agents are concerned, though, about the many homes in foreclosure, as well as investor-owned homes that are sitting vacant and for sale. Not only are homes in foreclosure often in disrepair, which depresses property prices, they're also typically sold below market prices."

"'We are working with a group to try to track the problem,' Galler says."

The Citizen Patriot from Michigan. "It's not news Michigan finds itself in a one-state recession. But what is shocking for many families is that the place they call home could become a stone around their financial necks as they try to stay afloat during rough economic times."

"'For many families, their house is their largest asset. To see it eroded in value after having seen only modest increases in the last year or two causes real concern,' said economist Dana Johnson."

"It's been more than 22 years since Michigan saw a three-month quarter with a drop in home prices, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The last time was the third quarter of 1984, the tail end of the 1980s recession."

"In 2006, it happened in both the third and the fourth quarters."

"Analysts say the reason for this is clear. 'Housing prices are just a reflection of what's happening in the rest of the economy,' said Marcia Howard, director of a Washington-based research group."

"Some economists say families should steer clear of putting all their savings into their home. Look no further than the recent spate of property owners challenging their spring property tax assessments to see the downside of a real estate-only investment plan."

"'They really thought this would be a way they could save for retirement or emergencies,' said David Littmann, an economist with a free-market policy group in Midland. 'It's become a negative investment at this point. It shouldn't even be called an investment now.'"