...but the increase may just put us in-line with historical levels.

Quoted: Overall, there have been 26,372 bankruptcies filed this year in Washington state, up 46 percent over the same period last year. Experts say the tightening of consumer credit and home equity lending over the past year left many families with no other option. The level of bankruptcy filings may be returning to normal historical levels, says Robert Lawless, a bankruptcy law professor at the University of Illinois. During the '90s, about 24,000 bankruptcies were filed each year in Washington state, according to data from the American Bankruptcy Institute. From 2000 to 2004, an average 37,000 bankruptcies were filed annually. Filings peaked at 46,930 in 2005.

Quoted: The US Conference of Mayors, a nonpartisan organization that represents cities with populations greater than 30,000, is sending out an industry warning that they expect employment rates to continue to climb in 2010, reaching levels as high as 15% in some municipalities. Servicers in these areas should prepare to face a much heavier distressed asset portfolio as borrowers struggle to cope with lose of income, says Dave Gatton, a director at the firm.

There is positive activity in the real estate market. How much of it is is due to the mad rush to claim the first time buyers tax credit (since expanded) and how much of it is real growth is difficult to say.

Quoted: Listings of single-family homes and condominiums declined an average 2.82% across 27 major US metropolitan markets in October, according to data compiled by Web-based real estate brokerage ZipRealty (ZIPR: 4.07 -0.25%). The 593,794 total homes for sale in the 27 markets in October 2009 are down from 611,026 in September and represent an inventory 28.65% lower than that in October 2008.

Quoted: Pending sales of single-family homes and condominiums in King County jumped more than 70 percent in October compared with last year as buyers raced to purchase homes before losing a federal tax credit.

The number of people who can actually benefit from this, however, is pretty small.

Quoted: Thousands of borrowers on the verge of foreclosure will soon have the option of renting their homes from Fannie Mae, under a policy announced Thursday. The government-controlled company, through its new "Deed for Lease" program, will allow borrowers to transfer ownership to Fannie Mae and sign a one-year lease, with month-to-month extensions after that.

Quoted: What are you going to do when your hunches don't match the data that's now pouring in? The data shows, for example, that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving drunk. It doesn't feel that way, of course, but will you respect the data and stop, cold turkey? The data shows that the vast majority of wine drinkers can't tell the difference between a $20 bottle and a $100 bottle. Will that keep you from buying the fancy wine? How much is the placebo effect worth? The data shows that famous colleges underperform many cheaper, friendlier, smaller colleges. How much is your neighbor's envy worth?
What are you going to do when your hunches don't match the data that's now pouring in? The data shows, for example, that texting while driving is more dangerous than driving drunk. It doesn't feel that way, of course, but will you respect the data and stop, cold turkey? The data shows that the vast majority of wine drinkers can't tell the difference between a $20 bottle and a $100 bottle. Will that keep you from buying the fancy wine? How much is the placebo effect worth? The data shows that famous colleges underperform many cheaper, friendlier, smaller colleges. How much is your neighbor's envy worth?

CIT did a lot of lending during the heydey of the market, but their presence up here in the PNW was limited.

Tough news to swallow for a company that is over 100 years old.

Quoted: The bankruptcy of CIT is likely to hand the Treasury Department its biggest loss to date under the Troubled Asset Relief Program. It invested $2.3 billion in CIT last December.

Woohoo, 4th safest!

Quoted: The city ranked third among 40 U.S. cities in the category of violent crime, second best in workplace deaths, eighth best in traffic deaths and No. 31 in natural disaster risk.

Sad. I drove by this right after it happened last week. Cool little non-profit coffee shop on a busy street.