Buying Fannie Mae-owned homes just got easier.

The largest mortgage buyer/backer in the nation recently rolled out HomePath Online Offers, which gives real estate agents the power to submit bids on behalf of clients who are interested in buying foreclosed — also known as Real Estate-Owned (REO) — homes.

Buyers/investors in Orlando, Fla., San Diego, Calif., and Detroit, Mich., will be the first to test out the new program.

Jim Tiegen, Vice President of Fannie Mae’s REO regional offices, had this to say to DSNews.com about the innovation:

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The off-the-field hits just keep on coming for former Detroit Lions wide receiver Charles Rogers.

Rogers, who has the dubious distinction of being among the biggest busts in the history of the National Football League (NFL), owes $1.17 million on a mansion in Novi, Mich., according to The Detroit News.

He’s currently in default, which means that he’ll likely lose the 5,100-square foot, four bedroom home if he doesn’t pay up soon. In fact, a foreclosure auction is already scheduled for Oct, 26, 2010.

This is not the start of Rogers’ financial woes — he was ordered to return $6.1 million of a $9.1 million signing bonus earlier this year because he was arrested with marijuana back in 2005, violating the terms of his contract. He’s battled substance-related issues and arrests ever since.

Detroit parted ways with the oft-injured wideout in 2006, just 36 months removed from selecting him second overall in the 2003 NFL draft. Rogers has not played a single down of football since that time.

This house, located at 1819 Herbert Street in Lansing, according to BusinessLansing.com:

See what $25 will get you after the jump:

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The foreclosure crisis has hit virtually the entire nation without discrimination; however, some states, collectively, have been impacted more than others.

Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan and Nevada, in fact, top the list of 50, sustaining average home price declines of 20 percent or more. As a result, the U.S. Treasury Department has earmarked $1.5 billion to “head off” foreclosures in these states, among other, according to Reuters.

It’s been dubbed the “Hardest Hit Fund,” which was announced back in February. And it was carved out of the $50 billion Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) to assist responsible homeowners who have “been affected by the economic crisis through no fault of their own.”

The five states submitted proposals, demonstrating that their residents needed the housing assistance, which were all approved.

Here’s the monetary breakdown:

Arizona will get up to $125.1 million for these purposes while California gets up to $699.6 million and Florida up to $418 million. Michigan has been approved for up to $154.5 million of funding and Nevada up to $102.8 million.

In addition to the five states already mentioned, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island and South Carolina have submitted proposals for similar assistance. It’s expected that they, too, will receive approval “in coming weeks.”

Government officials reportedly expect to help 90,000 or more homeowners with its “Hardest Hit Fund.” For more information on the program, as well as the complete “Making Home Affordable” initiative, click here.

Not even the rich and famous are immune from the possibility of falling into foreclosure in the Detroit, Mich., area.

Sergei Fedorov is on the verge of losing two separate million-dollar homes in the affluent suburb community of Bloomfield, which is located in Oakland County, according to The Detroit News.

The six-time NHL All-Star, who helped the city’s beloved Red Wings hoist three Stanley Cups during his 13-year career in “Motor City,” owes more than $2 million on the “palatial” homes. He purchased them in 1999 and 2003, respectively, the latter of which he bought from his parents.

Fedorov, who was the leader of the feared “Russian Five” line in the 1990s, claims to have lost about $60 million in an investment scam. He is fighting a court battle to recoup at least some of his losses; however, it appears that his real estate portfolio may be taking a check into the boards until its all resolved.

In the meantime, the former high profile boyfriend of tennis superstar (and model), Anna Kournikova, continues to play hockey, competing for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in his native Russia.