California:

Sacramento Bee: Door closed on California tax credit for new homes this year
By Jim Wasserman
11/20/2009
It now appears that the fight to extend the $10,000 tax credit for buyers of new unoccupied homes in California has officially ended. An Assembly bill extending the tax credit to 4,300 more buyers failed to pass in the Senate, and a similar Senate bill failed in the Assembly.

National:

Wall Street Journal: Hiring Boom in Mortgage Restructuring
By Kyle Stock
11/19/2009
Four of the largest mortgages servicers have collectively hired almost 17,000 people this year, mostly to work with financially ailing homeowners. With the number of defaults rising, many are planning to keep adding staff. 

Reuters: Extended housing credit likely to disappoint
By Helen Chernikoff
11/20/2009
Some real estate industry analysts believe the extension of the federal tax credit for home buyers may not lead to an increase in demand for housing.