Vermont’s population continued to grow slowly in 2011, according to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.  The number of estimated Vermonters inched up by about 500 to 625,909 between 2010 and 2011. 

State population growth is caused by net in-migration (i.e. more people moving in then out of a state) and by natural forces (i.e. more births than deaths among existing residents).

U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Shaun Donovan, will answer questions from homeowners and go over the issue of refinancing via a live on-line video "hangout" on Thursday at 3:15 PM.  

Secretary Donavan will also discuss how increasing the number of American homeowners who refinance at today's low interest rates can help the economy at large. 

The U.S Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a comprehensive report on the effectiveness of a variety of types of foreclosure mitigation efforts.   About 4 million single-family mortgages were modified in the U.S. between 2009 and 2011 to help borrowers avoid foreclosure.

VHFA and its counterparts across the nation are increasing home buying activity through “very solid” tax-free municipal debt, according to Bloomberg news.