Real Estate

A sharp drop in mortgage interest rates in December may have kickstarted this year’s spring housing market early. Rates are about a full percentage point lower than they were in October, and consumers expect they will fall even more. Optimism about mortgage rates increased sharply in December, according to a monthly consumer survey by Fannie

Tracy Kasper, a realtor from Nampa, Idaho. Courtesy: NAR The president of the National Association of Realtors on Monday said she was resigning due to a blackmail threat that sought to “compromise” her leadership role. NAR President Tracy Kasper said she had notified the group’s leadership team “that she recently received a threat to disclose

The Federal Reserve‘s effort to bring down inflation has so far been successful, a rare feat in economic history. The central bank signaled in its latest economic projections that it will cut interest rates in 2024 even with the economy still growing, which would be the sought-after path to a “soft landing,” where inflation returns to the Fed’s

A “For Sale” sign sits in front of a new home May 27, 2004 in Miami, Florida. Joe Raedle | Getty Images Mortgage demand ended 2023 on a sour note, despite a sharp drop in mortgage interest rates during December. Total application volume was down 9.4% for the week ended Dec. 29, compared with two

Pending home sales in November were unchanged compared with October and 5.2% lower than November of last year, according to the National Association of Realtors. The reading, which is based on signed contracts during the month, is a forward-looking indicator of closed sales as well as the most current look at what potential homebuyers are

A “sale pending” sign is posted in front of a home for sale on November 30, 2023 in San Anselmo, California. According to a report by the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales fell 1.5 percent in October to their lowest level in 20 years. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Justin Sullivan | Getty

AURORA, CO – AUGUST 23: The crane taking four 15-foot-wide by 60-foot-long modular home segments and stacking them on one on top of the other to make a new duplex. August 23 2018. Adam Berger, a developer with his own modular home designs, has sold his first duplex in North Aurora. Now he is using

House for sale with “For Sale” real estate sign in yard in spring or summer season. No people. Fstop123 | E+ | Getty Images Mortgage demand fell last week compared to the previous week, despite a continued drop in rates, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association‘s seasonally adjusted index.  The average contract interest rate for

A shopper carries several bags in the Magnificent Mile shopping district of Chicago on Dec. 2, 2023. Taylor Glascock | Bloomberg | Getty Images The U.S. economy has remained remarkably strong but affordability is worse than it has ever been, some social media users say, even when compared to The Great Depression. One of TikTok’s

Experts suggest thinking about how you’ll use your home in future when considering a building project. 10’000 Hours | Digitalvision | Getty Images Extending your home or remodeling your kitchen and bathroom may be an exciting prospect but it’s worth carefully planning the design and build to manage the risks involved, according to specialists who

Demonstrators gather during a protest against the expiration of the eviction moratorium outside of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Sunday, Aug. 1, 2021. Stefanie Reynolds | Bloomberg | Getty Images Renters burdened by unaffordable housing costs may be at a higher risk of dying sooner, according to a new study published in

Republican presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump arrives at a campaign event at the Hyatt Hotel on December 13, 2023 in Coralville, Iowa.  Scott Olson | Getty Images News | Getty Images The judge presiding over the high-stakes civil business fraud trial of former President Donald Trump harshly questioned the credibility of a key expert

Noel Hendrickson/Getty Images After a year full of record-high interest rates and home prices, experts say there are signs of improvement for the housing market in 2024. In December, the average mortgage rates dropped below 7% for the first time since August and after an 8% peak in October, which pushed housing costs to the

The Spanish town of Marbella, on the country’s south coast, is popular among overseas buyers. Artur Debat | Moment | Getty Images There are three European countries that are “perennial favorites” for people to buy a vacation home, according to Kate Everett-Allen, a partner at real estate firm Knight Frank. France, Italy and Spain all

A view of clouds over Manhattan skyline in New York, United States on August 08, 2023. (Photo by Fatih Aktas/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Manhattan rents fell for the first time in over two years, as the supply of empty apartments grew and renters held out for

The Federal Reserve announced it will leave interest rates unchanged Wednesday, in a move that many believe will conclude the central bank’s rate hike cycle and set the stage for rate cuts in the year ahead. The Fed has raised interest rates 11 times since March 2022 — the fastest pace of tightening since the early 1980s. The

An aerial view of existing homes near new homes under construction (UPPER R) in the Chatsworth neighborhood on September 08, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.  Mario Tama | Getty Images Homeowners looking to refinance are finding savings after mortgage rates dropped again last week. The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming

The East China headquarters of Country Garden is being shown in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China, on October 10, 2023. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Embattled Chinese real estate developer Country Garden may avoid a default on its yuan-denominated bonds after most holders of a local note agreed not to demand repayment this week, according to Bloomberg

Luxury properties in the Kensington and Chelsea district of London, UK, on Monday, Aug. 21, 2023. Jason Alden | Bloomberg | Getty Images The U.K. property market has been a rollercoaster for renters and prospective homeowners alike for over a year now. Rents soared throughout 2022 and 2023 as supply and demand imbalances led to

Former President Donald Trump wrote in a social media post on Sunday that he won’t testify in his $250 million civil fraud trial in New York on Monday. “I will not be testifying on Monday,” Trump wrote in an all-caps, multi-part post on Truth Social. Trump had previously been expected to return to the witness