Heading into March and the official start of spring, experts think it’s likely that prices will stabilize. Joe Raedle/Getty Images 2022 saw higher home prices and higher mortgage rates that sidelined ...
Tag: mortgage planning
I will leave my daughter my house, but she doesn’t want to take over my $250,000 mortgage. Should she rent the house, or just sell it?
Dear MarketWatch, My daughter has a similar issue that this lady is facing, whose mother left her the family home. I will be leaving my daughter my house in my will. But she has a physical disability ...
6 leading real estate economists and pros on what to expect from the housing market this winter
Getty Images Some aspiring homebuyers are in for some much-needed relief. “Right now might appear more appealing to some buyers because, recently, the housing market has been cooling. Prices are dropp...
‘It feels like I’m holding two full-time jobs:’ I’m 65, retired and have a $2K pension. I own rental properties, but they’re stressful to maintain. Should I keep them or sell?
Dear MarketWatch, I’m a 65-year-old married man in Southern California. I retired about 5 years ago, and have very little in pension payments of about $2,000 from my old job, without any medical benef...
‘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...
Homebuyers are turning to all-cash offers to get around high mortgage rates
Frustrated by mortgage rates above 6%, a growing share of first-time homebuyers are opting to pay for their homes in cash to avoid high borrowing costs. In October this year, 32% of homes sold in the ...
In mid-November, mortgage rates saw their biggest decline since 1981. Here’s what 6 pros say will what happen next
The latest mortgage rates Getty Images/iStockphoto For most of 2022, the trend of mortgage rates was generally up and then up some more. But in mid-November something big happened: Thanks to better-th...
Here’s exactly where ‘whiplash-inducing’ mortgage rates are headed this year, according to 6 economists and real estate pros
Where are mortgage rates headed? Getty Images Rates are trending upwards, pros say. Indeed, many pros say estimate that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in November and December. And for ...
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 ...
Why the housing market should brace for double-digit mortgage rates in 2023
Even if Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and his cohorts stopped hiking policy rates soon, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate still would climb to 10%, according to Christopher Whalen, chairman of ...
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...
‘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 ...
The major county in America where home prices just dropped the most is …
Buyers may be starting to see home price drops in some areas. (Getty Images) Home buyers have watched as home prices marched upwards for the past few years, but now many of you will finally get some r...
Mortgage rates recently hit their highest level since 2007. Here’s what 5 economists and real estate pros say will happen next with rates
Where will mortgage rates go from here? Getty Images Since the start of the year, mortgage rates have been trending upwards — and according to many experts, this trend will likely continue through Oct...
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...
Can you avoid that 6% mortgage rate? Here’s what pros think will happen next with mortgage rates
What might mortgage rates look like this month? Getty Images This past week, average 30-year mortgage rates crossed the 6% mark — though many borrowers can still snag lower lower rates than that — aft...
When It Pays to Have a Mortgage in Retirement—and When It Doesn’t
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‘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...
‘The real mortgage rate is a negative number.’ As inflation stubbornly sits at a 40-year high, do current mortgage rates look better than they seem?
What is the so-called ‘real mortgage rate’ and does it matter? Getty Images/iStockphoto I write about mortgage rates every week, but recently, I’ve heard some sources chattering about what’s called th...
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...
‘Continuing home price deceleration.’ Here’s what 5 economists and real estate pros predict will happen to the housing market this year
What will happen in the housing market this year? Getty Images When will home price growth really slow down? Will mortgage rates continue their upward climb? What do I need to know if I’m trying to bu...
Adjustable-rate mortgage vs. fixed-rate mortgage: Which one is better for you?
Hello and welcome to Financial Face-off, a MarketWatch column where we help you weigh financial decisions. Our columnist will give her verdict. Tell us whether you think she’s right in the comments. A...
The Fed’s next interest rate hike ‘might be the biggest in decades.’ So we asked 6 real estate pros: What might that do to mortgage rates?
What might happen to mortgage rates soon? Getty Images/iStockphoto Word on the street is that the Federal Reserve may raise rates by 1% at their July 26 meeting — as they try to quell inflation that n...
The 15 housing markets in America that are now actually more affordable than they were in 2005
“Worsening affordability appears to be having an impact on demand, which could lead to prices plateauing or even correcting modestly in some markets,” one pro told MarketWatch Picks. Getty Images/iSto...
Paid Off College and the Mortgage? Here’s How to Allocate Your Freed Up Cash.
Retirement savers who’ve paid off their mortgage or have made their last college payment should take a moment to celebrate. Then they should get busy putting their newfound windfall to work. Given th...
I’m the director of forecasting for the National Association of Realtors. Here are 6 things you should know about the housing market now
As part of our series where we ask prominent economists and real estate pros their take on the housing market now, we talked to Nadia Evangelou, senior economist and director of forecasting at the Nat...
Will mortgage rates soon hit 7%? What economists and real estate pros say
Will mortgage rates rise? Getty Images/iStockphoto Mortgage rates have been on a steady climb upwards: While they started the year at around 3.5% for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, they’ve since climb...
Scammers are out to get your mortgage money and even your home. Here’s how to fight them off.
We’ve all seen the email scams: “This is a genuie request.” “Your lendar has detected an unpaid sum.” “I’m a prince and I need your help.” Digital fraud has become highly sophisticated and, according ...