The Herald shows how the subprime crisis has hit home in Dorchester, focused on Hendry Street on Meeting House Hill.

Also see the Dorchester Reporter's Hendry Street report from this past September and its follow-up (from October) on foreclosures and triple deckers.

Some renters lose their heat after apartment foreclosures:

New mortgage-company landlords in some foreclosed Boston apartments haven't made needed repairs or paid for heating oil.

This Globe story makes the point when it comes to certain mortgage companies - they're not trying to be evil, but they wind up being that way anyway.

Chris Lovett provides an interesting look at sub-prime mortgages and explains why the president's plan for dealing with the mess will do little to help places such as Dorchester, with a look at the condos of 43 Whitfield St., just outside Codman Square:

... After its conversion to condos, all three units were sold to a single buyer in February, 2006, each for $330,000, and each with a mortgage from a different lender. On paper, the buyer was committed to using two of the units as his principal residence. On a third unit, the lender waived the occupancy requirement. Within 19 months, there were petitions to foreclose on all three units.

By October the "contractor special," unit 3 at 43 Whitfield St, was on the market for $77,000. An ad says the unit has been gutted, with the start of a rehab and "some great extras," including "the start of a marble bathroom," not to mention a jacuzzi tub and "some new cabinets."

At least unit 3 might be better than unit 1, which is on the market for only $63,000, and which an ad says is only "partially gutted." Also mentioned in the ad: "There is no kitchen and no working bathroom." ...

Eeka has one (originally from Ameriquest, no less), and she's getting tired of lazy reporters blaring that everybody who has one is a no-account loser deceived by an evil loanshark:

... I was not coerced into buying a house I can't afford. I am in absolutely no danger of losing my home. I pay my mortgage on time every month without difficulty. I definitely did my homework regarding the different types of rates and am not going to encounter anything unexpected. I also am not a buyer with bad credit. ...

I used mortgage101.com to get referred to some mortgage lenders. They all totally sucked and I ended up going with E-LOAN. I just got some survey from them about my experience, and here's my response:

Your brokers completely suck. I experienced the following brokers:

A complete snob who said I didn't qualify for any sort of mortgage with my $60K income and 730 credit score and who didn't seem to think "licensed mental health counselor" was a real job.

Someone who gave me a preapproval for 300K at 5% after a brief phonecall and no credit check.