How SVB Was Doomed By a Bad Bet on Mortgage Securities and the Fed’s Rate Hikes

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...

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...

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...

As interest rates rise, Biden administration will reduce the cost of some mortgages by $800 per year

The federal government said Wednesday that it’s lowering the cost of certain federal mortgages by an average of $800 per year, lowering housing costs for an estimated 850,000 homebuyers and homeowners...

I’m 64, make $1,500 a month driving Uber and get almost $5,000 a month in pensions and Social Security – should I pay off my mortgage before I retire?

Hi, I’m 64 and getting ready to retire in one year. I owe approximately $165,000 on my house with no other debt. I have close to $850,000 in retirement savings, $2,200 a month from a pension, approxim...

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 ...

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...

Home Buyers Could Soon Get $1 Million Mortgage With 3% Down Payment

To qualify for a $1 million mortgage, Americans typically have to make a down payment of at least 20% of the home’s price. Starting next year, some buyers could put as little as 3% down. The cap for h...

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...

Credit carnage spurs bargains on bonds tied to $16 trillion pile of U.S. household debt

Big bargains have made a roaring comeback on bonds tied to the $16.2 trillion pile of U.S. consumer debt. Higher borrowing costs, tighter credit conditions and sharp losses have been defining forces o...

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

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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 ...

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac to use alternative credit scores: What it means for homebuyers

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The federal government is expanding how it collects credit scores, which may allow more Americans to potentially buy homes. The Federal Housing Finance Agency on Monday announced at...

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...

Americans are souring on the housing market. Home buyer sentiment hits lowest level since 2011 — and mortgage rates reach 7%.

There’s no respite for home buyers these days. From rising rates, high home prices, and an uncertain economic outlook, shoppers are finding it hard to jump into purchasing a home.  Fannie Mae noted th...

‘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 ...

After Years of Low Mortgage Rates, Home Sellers Are Scarce

Homeowners with low mortgage rates are balking at the prospect of selling their homes to borrow at much higher rates for their next homes, a development that could limit the supply of houses for sale ...

‘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...

Chinese Banks Lose a Mortgage Safety Net as Developers Slide Into Distress

Listen to article (2 minutes) China is increasingly counting on its banks to step up mortgage lending and help boost a sinking housing market. But there is a problem: Lenders are stuck with many mortg...

When It Pays to Have a Mortgage in Retirement—and When It Doesn’t

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Bank of America draws mixed reviews for zero-down-payment mortgages aimed at boosting Black and Hispanic home ownership

Bank of America Corp. is drawing a mixed reaction in social media to a zero-down-payment mortgage program aimed at bringing first-time home ownership within closer reach of more African American and H...

‘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...