Real Estate

“For Sale” and “Sale Pending” signs in the West Seattle neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, US, on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. The National Association of Realtors is scheduled to release existing homes sales figures on June 21.  David Ryder | Bloomberg | Getty Images High mortgage rates and elevated home prices combined to crush home sales

A home for sale in Casselberry, Florida, Aug. 14, 2024. Stephen M. Dowell | Orlando Sentinel | Tribune News Service | Getty Images Mortgage interest rates dropped again last week, hitting the lowest level in two months, but demand for mortgages didn’t respond. Total mortgage application volume fell 1.2% from the previous week, according to

Oscar Wong | Moment | Getty Images Renters looking for a better deal may need to rethink the kind of properties they’re focused on in their search.  As of January, median single-family home rent prices are up about 41% since before the pandemic, according to a recent report by Zillow. Meanwhile, multi-family rents are up

A “For Sale” sign on a house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US, on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024.  Joe Lamberti | Bloomberg | Getty Images The U.S. housing market continues to weaken, as potential buyers face stubbornly high mortgage rates, elevated prices and limited supply of listings. Sales of previously owned homes fell 4.9% in January from

monkeybusinessimages | Getty There are signs that the housing market is swinging to favor buyers. However, renewed worries about the economy are holding some buyers back. On the upside for homebuyers, home price growth has slowed and mortgage rates have retreated from recent peaks. The median sale price for homes was $375,475 in the four

It’s still too soon to fully calculate the cost of the Los Angeles wildfires, but one thing is clear: The cost of insurance will go up, and that will affect not just the value of LA real estate but of real estate across the nation. The losses from those wildfires may seem unimaginable now, but

In this article FMCC FNMA Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two pillars of the U.S. mortgage market, are currently controlled by the federal government. Some in Washington, D.C. expect President Trump to push for the end of their conservatorship. “We have a mortgage finance system that works really well

A sign is posted in front of a home for sale in San Rafael, California, on Aug. 7, 2024. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images Mortgage rates dipped slightly last week, but so did mortgage demand, as housing affordability continues to sideline potential buyers. Total mortgage application volume fell 6.6% for the week, according to the

Martin Barraud | Ojo Images | Getty Images As U.S. home equity climbs, owners are more likely to face capital gains taxes from selling property. But a lesser-known tax strategy could help shrink your bill, experts say. When selling your main home, there’s a special tax break that shields up to $250,000 of profits for

Sentiment among the nation’s single-family homebuilders dropped to the lowest level in five months in February, largely due to concern over tariffs, which would raise their costs significantly. The National Association of Home Builders’ Housing Market Index, or HMI, dropped a sharp 5 points from January to a reading of 42. Anything below 50 is

It can cost on average of $2,050 to live in Tokyo for a month as a single person, according to Numbeo’s data. Jackyenjoyphotography | Moment | Getty Images Moving to a major city often comes with big benefits and opportunities, but it’s important to figure out if it makes sense financially before taking the leap.

People walk by a sign for Freddie Mac headquarters on July 14, 2008 in McLean, Virginia. AFP Photo/Paul J. Richards (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images) Paul J. Richards | Afp | Getty Images Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — the two giant mortgage finance firms controlled by the federal government

The city of New Orleans is still rebuilding and repairing homes that were damaged in the fallout from 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. The storm flooded hundreds of thousands of homes in New Orleans, killed over 1,800 people and displaced millions. It remains the costliest tropical cyclone in U.S. history, with an estimated $201.3 billion in associated

Patchogue, N.Y.: A For Sale sign hangs in front of a house in Patchogue, New York, on June 1, 2024. Steve Pfost | Newsday | Getty Images Mortgage rates moved slightly lower again last week, keeping refinance demand on the rise. Applications to refinance a home loan jumped 10% compared with the previous week and

Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images Renters should reap the benefits of a lower-cost rental market while they can. It might not last, experts say.  As of December, the median asking rent price in the U.S. was $1,695, down 0.5% — or $8 — from November, according to a report by Realtor.com. The latest rent price

A Ferrari-inspired mansion known as Casa Maranello in Delray Beach, Florida, shattered a local record last week when it traded for $50.5 million. Not only was the megadeal the biggest the area has ever seen, but it was also one of the most unusual: The sale included a mansion swap, bespoke furniture, elaborate chandeliers, art,

Homebuyers are seeing very little reason to get a jump on the all-important spring housing market, even with more listings coming up for sale. Mortgage rates haven’t moved much in the last few weeks, and home prices continue to rise. Mortgage applications to purchase a home last week dropped 4%, compared with the previous week,

The U.S. housing market was already struggling under the weight of high mortgage interest rates, a low supply of existing homes for sale and historically high home prices. Now tariffs on building materials are adding even more pressure. Roughly 30% of softwood lumber consumed in the U.S. is imported, largely from Canada. Wallboard, known as

Vesnaandjic | E+ | Getty Images The cost to rent is coming down faster in some areas of the U.S. than others.  Overall, rent affordability is improving thanks to a combination of factors, said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. One is, there’s more supply. “There are more apartments for rent now because there was

Homes burn above Pacific Coast Highway during the Palisades Fire on Jan. 8, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, Calif.  Photo by Jeff Gritchen/MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images Alicia Kalvin awoke the morning of Jan. 7 to an urgent text from a friend: “There’s a fire on your street.” She hurried outside, alarmed to see

Remains of Karen Bagnard’s Altadena, California, house after it burned in the January 2025 Los Angeles-area wildfires. Courtesy: Chelsea On the night of Jan. 7, Karen Bagnard sat in her Altadena, California, house in the dark. Forceful winds had caused her home to lose power, and she also had no running water, save for one