The demise of Silicon Valley Bank wasn’t driven by credit problems but by an old-fashioned mismatch of assets and liabilities that doomed many thrifts back in the 1970s. California regulators seized S...
Tag: Mortgage Banks/Real Estate Credit
10 banks that may face trouble in the wake of the SVB Financial Group debacle
As interest rates have risen, many banks have become more profitable because the spreads between what they earn on loans and investments and what they pay for funding has widened. But there are always...
CES 2023: AMD, Nvidia, auto applications get the hype, but analysts say this one chip maker ruled
As CES 2023 draws to a close, much of the attention in the chip world was lauded on companies like Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and Nvidia Corp. but a lower profile chip maker appears better positioned...
‘2022 has been the scariest year of my adult and professional life’: One mortgage broker reveals how the housing slowdown upended financial security.
When mortgage rates hit 7% in the fall, Austin-based mortgage broker Aaron Kovac was a little spooked. After a stunning rise in home sales amid ultra-low interest rates, “the market just went absolut...
‘I dug myself out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle’: Should I use my bonus to pay off my mortgage, put it in a savings account or Vanguard?
Dear Quentin, Over the last couple years I dug myself out of the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle, and I am making good money. I never learned about stocks, investing, etc. I do not have a 401(k) at work. M...
How to Put Together an All-Cash Home Purchase
As home-financing costs have skyrocketed, cash is king once again. Nearly one in 10 new homes in the third quarter were purchased with cash, according to Census Bureau data—the largest share since 201...
If I sell my rental I can pay off my primary mortgage and be debt-free. Is that a good idea in this housing market?
Dear MarketWatch, I have a rental property that’s worth $175,000, and I owe $53,000. My primary home is worth $265,000 and has $108,000 left on the mortgage. My question is this: Should I sell my ren...
Higher Rates Hammer Home Buyers—and Make Mortgage REITs Lucrative for Investors
It’s instructive and often amusing to see how the popular media cover economic and financial news. You can get a handle on the public’s sentiment from how they treat those topics, which usually varies...
Mortgage Giant Rocket Plunges Back to Earth, Hit by Rising Rates
This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple ...
Millions of working Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck — and running out of cash as another recession looms
Inflation is taking its toll on people’s emergency funds. The share of workers who say they are living paycheck-to-paycheck has surged among middle- to high-income earners — 63% and 49%, respectively ...
My boyfriend has a nicer house, and says I should live with him. My mortgage is paid off. He believes I should pay half of his monthly costs. Is that fair?
Dear Quentin, My boyfriend owns a house with a 30-year mortgage balance of $150,000 on a 4% interest rate. He has $275,000 in cash and retirement accounts. He is retired. My house is paid off. I have ...
Mortgage Rates Are Soaring. What Financial Pros Say Clients Should Do.
The low-rate mortgage boat has sailed. According to Freddie Mac, the average interest rate on a 30-year fixed-rate home loan is now 6.7%, more than double the 3.01% rate from this time last year. That...
Bank of America to Pay $1.84 Billion to Settle Last Major Mortgage-Crisis Suit
Bank of America closed the door on its last major litigation over mortgage bonds that were at the heart of the financial crisis of 2008. The Charlotte, N.C., bank said Friday it would pay $1.84 billio...
‘I’m paycheck to paycheck.’ I make $350K a year, but have $88K in student loans, $170K in car loans and a mortgage I pay $4,500 a month on. Do I need professional help?
I’m the first of my generation to own a home and the first to earn this much annually and don’t want to mess this up. How, specifically, can a financial adviser help me? Getty Images Question: By the ...
‘Some companies are closing their doors, others are shutting down divisions’: Rocket CEO outlines plans to navigate the dramatic decline in mortgages
The mortgage industry is struggling with higher rates and a sharp drop in buyer demand. Rocket RKT, +0.53% says it’s got a plan to turn things around. There’s turmoil in the sector. Volume of originat...
These are the 10 major housing markets that just saw the biggest declines in home equity
Plus, what to know if you’re thinking about taking out a HELOC. Getty Images/iStockphoto As home prices soared in recent years, homeowners enjoyed record levels of tappable home equity, which is the a...
When It Pays to Have a Mortgage in Retirement—and When It Doesn’t
This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple ...
‘Home prices where I live are close to $600,000.’ Is it a smart move to buy a house with all-cash — or better to take out a mortgage?
Dear Big Move, I’ve recently been thinking about purchasing my first home at 35. I have a nest egg of about $1.8 million that I’ve accrued over the past 14 years. This money is completely invested in...
‘I’m in a very lucky position’: I will receive a $300,000 inheritance. Should I pay off my mortgage or invest the money?
I currently owe $300,000 on my house with a 2.5%, 30-year mortgage. I am maxing out my retirement accounts — IRA and 401(k) — and looking to retire in less than 10 years. I will receive an inheritance...
Wells Fargo reportedly planning retreat in mortgage business
Wells Fargo is planning a retreat in its mortgage activities, according to a published report. Bloomberg News, citing unnamed sources, reported the number-one mortgage originator of commercial banks i...
I’m the chief economist of a mortgage firm that has funded more than $100 billion in loans. These are 3 things to know about the housing market now.
Cameron Findlay As home prices and mortgage rates march upwards, and housing inventory remains seriously constrained, many buyers are wondering: Should I buy? And if I want to buy, what do I need to k...
20 banks that are sitting on huge potential securities losses—as was SVB
Silicon Valley Bank has failed following a run on deposits, after its parent company’s share price crashed a record 60% on Thursday. Trading of SVB Financial Group’s SIVB, -60.41% stock was halted ear...