Consumer advocates and some investors have long called for less disruptive alternatives to foreclosures, given the limits of loan-modification programs.

WSJ: Alternative to Foreclosure Tested

Possible future actions by the government between now and the 2012 elections: tax policy changes, stimulus spending, mortgage modification programs, etc.

FORBES: Why You Should Wait To Buy A House

The mortgage re-modification programs have been designed by the banks to keep money flowing in, while they should be used to stimulate our sagging economy.

FORBES: Banks Need To Offer Low Refinance Rates For Responsible Borrowers, Not Deadbeats

Overextended prices and the expiration of the first time homebuyer tax credit, coupled with fewer loans qualifying for federal assistance programs like the Home Affordable Modification Program, are putting pressure not only on homebuilders like those in the XHB, but residential REITs, too, could be an eyesore for shareholders in the near-term.

FORBES: Residential REITs Turning Into Portfolio Eyesores

The programming language and its associated software libraries are designed to allow software developers to write programs that can run on otherwise incompatible computers with little modification.

FORBES: Focus On The Forbes 500s: Sun Microsystems