This was supposed to be the year that U.S. mortgage rates soared. Instead, they’re retreating. Interest rates unexpectedly fell this year after the Federal Reserve began scaling back the stimulus that held borrowing costs near record lows since 2011. After five weeks of declines, rates for 30-year fixed loans are at 4.12 percent, the lowest…
After tying the record for most consecutive days with no change, mortgage rates moved significantly lower today. The significance isn’t due to the size of the move–as far as day to day changes go, there have been bigger. Rather, the impressive part of today’s rally is that it occurred while rates were already effectively at…
After falling for three months, the pace of existing-home sales rose in December, pushing 2013’s tally to the highest level in seven years, according to data from the National Association of Realtors . For 2013 sales hit 5.09 million, the most since 2006, and up 9.1% from the prior year. “The data are consistent with…
Once their grown children had moved away from the family home, John Goodman, 65, and his wife, Donna, realized they were ready to move on as well. “We had an old 1940s, beautiful home, but we just didn’t need it anymore, and we didn’t need the taxes and the maintenance that went with it,” says…
After year of struggles, the housing market roared back to life in 2013. The rebound will continue in 2014, but the pace will slow. Experts say 2014 will be a year of continued growth and stabilization in the housing market with rising home prices, fewer foreclosures and greater activity among underwater homeowners. But this year’s…
Think again. They have nothing on reluctant thirty-somethings. Much of America is probably tired of articles about generational battles. After all, life is an individual experience, and in every age category there is always someone willing to buy a home or sell a home. But from an economic standpoint, today’s environment makes it almost essential…
You’ve looked at dozens of homes. Your REALTOR® is about to tear her hair out with frustration. You are paralyzed, letting one great home after another pass you by. Why can’t you make a decision? Buying a home can be an overwhelming process. There are so many decisions to make and any of them can…
The possibility of losing your home because you can’t make the mortgage payments can be terrifying. Perhaps you’re having trouble making ends meet because you or a family member lost a job, or you’re having other financial problems. Or maybe you’re one of the many consumers who took out a mortgage that had a fixed…
According to the latest report from Fannie Mae, a pullback in economic policy uncertainty regarding fiscal and monetary policy issues is forecasted to lay the foundation for improved private sector activity and accelerated growth in 2014. For all of 2014, economic growth is expected to rise 2.9% from an estimated 2.6% in 2013. Read the…
Search-engine giant Google wants to help make homes smarter and more connected, and took another step at that by by announcing its acquisition of connected device maker Nest Labs. Google announced it will pay $3.2 billion in cash to acquire Nest Labs, a company that develops “smart” home appliances such as thermostats and smoke detectors…