Personal Finance Advice and Commentary

At the start of the traditional buying season, housing news is mixed.

Don’t look past the clouds just yet — the recent drop in foreclosure starts may be due to an administrative change.

The latest housing starts depict a market that remains gridlocked by a glut of unsold homes and a weak economy. According to the Commerce Department, permits to build new homes in July fell 3.2 percent and the number of new homes being built slipped 1.5 percent. That’s the bad news. The good news is that the