Real Estate

A house under construction is seen between completed houses in a new development in Brambleton, Virginia on August 14, 2024. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images Mortgage rates fell for the third week in a row last week, but the rush to refinance took a breather. Applications to refinance a home loan dropped 15%

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, speaks at an Aug. 10 campaign rally in Las Vegas. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty Images Affordable housing is a cornerstone of the “opportunity economy” that Vice President Kamala Harris sketched out last week. Harris’ economic policy pitch included proposals to lower the costs

Sdi Productions | E+ | Getty Images Homeownership has long symbolized the American Dream, embodying stability, wealth creation, and community investment. Yet, for millions of Americans, especially younger generations and first-time homebuyers, that dream is slipping away. Rising home prices, stagnant wages, and restrictive mortgage terms have made it increasingly difficult to take that crucial

Richard Newstead | Moment | Getty Images LONDON — Britain’s biggest high street lenders are continuing to slash borrowing costs after the Bank of England’s first interest rate cut in four years sparked a boom in homebuyer activity. Barclays, Halifax, HSBC and NatWest are among the lenders now offering five-year fixed rate mortgages of under 4%, below

The Federal Reserve could start lowering interest rates as soon as next month, based on the latest inflation data. “We think that the time is approaching,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a press conference after the last Federal Open Market Committee meeting in July. For Americans struggling to keep up with sky-high interest charges, a likely September rate cut may bring some

Aleksandarnakic | E+ | Getty Images A construction boom in the U.S. has resulted in lower rents and other benefits for renters. Record-construction activity since the pandemic has increased the supply of empty units, meaning more inventory is available for renters. More multi-family units were completed in June than in any month in nearly 50

d3sign | Moment | Getty Images Inflation continued to retreat in July, aided by easing price pressures for consumer staples like food and energy and physical goods like new and used cars. The consumer price index, a key inflation gauge, rose 2.9% in July from a year ago, the U.S. Department of Labor reported Wednesday.

New houses are seen for sale at Woodland Village, built by Lifestyle Homes housing developer, in Cold Springs, Nevada. Andri Tambunan | AFP | Getty Images It appears to have taken a few weeks for current homeowners to realize mortgage rates had dropped dramatically. And when they did, they acted. Applications to refinance a home

Iuliia Isaieva | Moment | Getty Images Homeowners are sitting on$17 trillion in equity as of the end of the first quarter of 2024, according to CoreLogic. The average homeowner gained $28,000 in equity compared to a year earlier. For many people, there’s no need to touch that money. Home equity is “not like bread,”

The U.S. economy has remained remarkably strong even amid persistent inflation and high interest rates. And yet, 59% of Americans falsely believe that the U.S. is currently in a recession, according to a recent survey of 2,000 adults by Affirm in June. Citing higher costs and difficulty making ends meet, most respondents said they think

Brandi Schmitt and her family pose for a 2018 Christmas card in front of their Maryland home wearing protective gear, alluding to the water and mold damage in their home. Each year, Schmitt said they try to capture the family’s situation through their Christmas card. Courtesy: Brandi Schmitt When a nor’easter struck in 2018, intense

Democratic vice presidential candidate and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (L), and Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-OH). Getty Images With the major party tickets finalized, many voters are watching the candidates for personal finance policy that could impact their wallets.  Vice President Kamala Harris this week unveiled her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim

An aerial view shows a subdivision that has replaced the once rural landscape in Hawthorn Woods, Illinois. Scott Olson | Getty Images Mortgage interest rates dropped last week to the lowest level since May 2023, causing a surge in mortgage demand from both homebuyers and especially current homeowners. Total mortgage application volume rose 6.9% last

A for sale sign in front of a home in Arlington, Virginia, on August 22, 2023. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage dropped 22 basis points to 6.4% Friday, according to Mortgage News Daily. That is the lowest rate since April 2023. The 15-year fixed

A row of traditional houses on a street in London’s Muswell Hill suburb, located to the north of London, with views of the Canary Wharf on the horizon. Georgeclerk | Istock | Getty Images LONDON — Britain’s major high street lenders have begun slashing their mortgage rates in a sign that financial pressure on households

Record inflation may have people questioning whether homeownership is still a good investment. Home prices have been rising faster than incomes, which can be a problem for homeowners because as the value of a home rises, so does the cost to maintain it. More than 1 in 4 homeowners with mortgages are considered “cost-burdened,” meaning

A development towers over the Lyric Theater in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood. Greg Iacurci MIAMI — Nicole Crooks stood in the plaza of the historic Lyric Theater, a royal blue hat shielding her from the midday sun that baked Miami. In its heyday, the theater, in the city’s Overtown neighborhood, was an important cultural hub for

A view of the Central Park Tower at 217 West 57th St. in New York City. Source: Cody Boone, SERHANT Studios A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Inside Wealth newsletter with Robert Frank, a weekly guide to the high net worth investor and consumer. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox.

Even as home prices hit new highs, experts say there are signs that the housing market is becoming better for buyers in some locations. The median cost of an existing, single-family home in the U.S. was $426,900 in June, a new all-time high, according to the National Association of Realtors. About 3.89 million homes were

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris delivers remarks during a campaign event at West Allis Central High School in West Allis, Wisconsin, on July 23, 2024. Kevin Mohatt | Reuters “Building up the middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency,” Vice President Kamala Harris said at a political event in West Allis, Wisconsin, on Tuesday

Monthly rent in Shanghai’s city-center costs approximately $2,700, according to data by Numbeo. Zorazhuang | E+ | Getty Images Living in a major city can come with a hefty price tag, so it’s best to be informed before you make that big move. In Asia, Hong Kong and Singapore top the list for cost of