Home hopes, money go down drain: Last fall, Lisa Blue fell in love with a model home and the idea of moving from Florida to the lower-priced San Antonio market.

But instead of a fresh start, the pursuit of this home would turn into a months-long drain on the Blue family's finances to the tune of about $18,900 -- an estimated $8,900 in lost deposits on the house and money spent on flights to San Antonio to check on the
house, along with a $10,000 credit card loan to help with the down payment...

Advocacy groups consider taking escrow out of mortgage payments a practice that contributes to foreclosure. 

"It doesn't mean you don't have to pay it," said Kirsten Keefe, executive director of Americans for Fairness in Lending.

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