Foreclosure.com Founder, President and CEO, Brad Geisen, recently shared some expert thoughts on the hot-button issue with the New York Times Freakonomics blog:

“When property values are cheap enough that they equal rental values. What I mean by that is when you can buy a property with very little money down and finance it at a good rate, and then rent it out for just enough to cover the mortgage, insurance, and taxes, then you’ve hit what I call ‘economic value.’ That’s when the property value is the same as its economic value. That’s pretty close to bottom. Now, when you have a pendulum swinging, and values are still dropping a bit, it may swing a little past that. If the property was already 30 percent less than market value, and property values are still dropping, and it gets down to economic value, then that’s when the pendulum will begin to stop and begin to swing the other way.”

To check out the entire high-profile question and answer session click here. It’s a must-read “power session.”

Boca Raton, Fla., April 7, 2009 — Foreclosure.com (www.foreclosure.com) today announced that its Web site traffic has increased more than 30 percent since this same time period last year because of the increased interest among prospective buyers in distressed real estate, including preforeclosure, foreclosure, short sale and other amazing deals.

Historically low home prices, as well as interest rates, and the recently-signed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act from the new administration on Capitol Hill that offers first-time homeowners a no-strings-attached $8,000 tax credit to put toward their principal residences, are all key factors in the recent surge in interest on the Web, according to Foreclosure.com Vice President, James Houston.

“Our servers are getting crushed around the clock,” said Houston. “We have noticed a significant increase in traffic over the last few months, which we attribute to several factors that have created a ‘perfect storm’-like situation.”

Foreclosure.com — already America’s largest and most trusted source for distressed real estate information — is among the top 20 online real estate destinations on the Web, placing twelfth for visits on a recent report from HitWise.com — the leading online competitive intelligence service – for the week ending on Feb. 28.

It’s perhaps no coincidence that the National Association of Realtors® issued a report just last month, revealing that foreclosure-related purchases comprised more than 40 percent of real estate sales nationwide.

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With mortgage fraud cases up 400 percent from five years ago, the new administration in Washington, D.C., plans to do something about it to protect the increasing amount of vulnerable homeowners who are falling victim to con artists.

ABCNews.com reports today that a renewed effort, which will be spearheaded by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, will “ratchet up its efforts to identify fraud suspects for civil and criminal investigation and issue an advisory to help financial firms flag questionable modification schemes for law enforcement.”

This latest initiative opens up a new front on the battle to stem the foreclosure tide.

Already, the administration has implemented the “Making Home Affordable” program to help “underwater” homeowners refinance their mortgages, as well introduced a limited-time $8,000 tax incentive for first-time homebuyers to spark interest in home purchases.

Here is a snip from Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner on this important development:

“Just as this administration has intensified our efforts to help American homeowners, those who would seek to prey on the most vulnerable are intensifying their tactics as well, often through purported mortgage modification and foreclosure relief companies. These are predatory schemes designed to rob Americans of their savings and potentially their homes…. We will shut down fraudulent companies more quickly than before. We will target companies that otherwise would have gone unnoticed under the radar. And we will aggressively pursue individuals involved in mortgage rescue scams.”

For more information on how to avoid foreclosure scams and other red flags of which to be aware click here (click on “Five Tips for Avoiding Foreclosure Scams”). In the meantime, if you’re having trouble meeting your monthly mortgage obligations click here. We’ll connect you someone who can help.

Curtis Sleeper and his cave-dwelling family appear to have found a way to remain in their one-of-kind 15,000 square foot home inside a Festus, Mo., cave.

Associated Press reports that a 15-year low-interest mortgage contract has been offered to help the Sleeper’s extend their stay indefinitely, which is of course cause for celebration.

Here’s a snip from Mr. Sleeper on the positive development:

“We’re excited about it. We’re throwing a party at a friend’s cave…. It’s certainly been almost life changing — except I’m keeping my cave, so not that life changing. I’d love to hear the end of the story read, ‘and they lived happily ever after.’”

It sounds like it will. And he more than likely has himself to thank for it after an impressive local grassroots public relations effort turned into a major national story.

Indeed, his initial listing on eBay to sell the home, which is situated on a scenic three-acre lot, at a starting bid of $300,000, as well as his heartfelt story behind its creation, was an Internet and cable news sensation.

For more details on the amenities and all the blood, sweat and tears that went into building “Cave House” be sure to check out Sleeper’s very detailed Web site right here. And to check out the eBay listing go here.

But be sure to do it fast before the Sleeper’s spelunk back into the cozy confines of their cave and return to relative obscurity.

… and the best source for foreclosures and other distressed real estate data available anywhere, according to HitWise.com:

So search with confidence for the lowest home prices in your area … everyone else does! CLICK HERE.