Good news for home buyers? Fannie Mae chief economist says the U.S. housing market has finally turned a corner. Here’s why.

The inventory shortage, high prices and rising interest rates have finally bitten. Single-family home sales fell sharply by 16.6% in April to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 591,000, accordin...

New home sales plunge as high prices and rising U.S. mortgage rates discourage buyers

The numbers: Sales of new homes in the U.S. fell in April for the fourth month in a row to the lowest level since the pandemic owing to high prices and soaring mortgage rates. New sales slowed to a 59...

5 economists and real estate pros on what mortgage rates will look like for 2022

What should you expect for mortgage interest rates in 2022? Getty Images/iStockphoto Mortgage rates have reached their highest point in 13 years, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. An...

Opinion: This pre-retiree was just terminated at work — is it worth paying off the mortgage with the severance money?

Dear Ms. MoneyPeace: I have a question for you, and I would prefer a yes or no answer. When I am “termed” later this year, I’ll have about $150,000 in cash between service-termination money and saving...

3 economists predict when competition in the housing market will decline

When will you see competition decrease in the housing market? Getty Images Mortgage rates on 30-year fixed rate loans have climbed from about 3.5% earlier this year to upwards of 5.6%, and pros say th...

‘It’s unlikely home prices will plummet.’ 5 pros predict home prices in 2022

Will home prices fall? Getty Images Gone are the uber-low mortgage rates of 2021. Indeed, average 30-year-fixed mortgage rates have risen from roughly 3.5% to about 5.6% this year, and pros say they e...

Out of 100 housing markets in America, this is the least overpriced, study finds

Baltimore is the least overvalued housing market, new study reveals. Getty Images Housing prices have risen rapidly in the past year, even as mortgage rates are on the rise with pros saying they will ...

We want to retire in a few years, and have about $1 million saved. Should I move my money to a Roth, and pay off my $200,000 mortgage while I’m at it?

Dear MarketWatch,  I’m 64 and my husband is 62. We plan to work until he is at least 65, so three or four more years. We have about $1 million total in various accounts, but my own IRA has $400,000 in...

‘We do not plan on getting married’: I’m moving into my boyfriend’s home. He bought it a year ago and paid off 25% of his mortgage. How do I get a stake in his home that’s fair to both of us?

My boyfriend and I would like to move in together in the next year or so. He bought his house about a year ago, and he has paid off about 25% of it. We both would like for me to gradually become a par...

How do higher mortgage rates help shrink inflation? Here’s an explainer.

The Federal Reserve yanked a short-term interest rate higher this week, making it more expensive to borrow money to buy a home or fix it up. The central bank raised the federal funds rate last week by...

‘She has no ambition’: I’m 41 and make $100,000. I’m buying a home before getting married. My fiancée earns $50,000 and has $20,000 in student debt. What’s a fair prenup?

I have been in my current relationship for almost three years. I’m a young woman, 41, have a great, stable career and make about $100,000 a year. I am ambitious and my prospects have me increasing my ...

What the Fed’s Interest-Rate Increase Means for Your Mortgage, Loans, Savings

The Federal Reserve raised its short-term benchmark rate by a half-percentage point on Wednesday, the sharpest increase since 2000, to a range between 0.75% and 1%. Though widely expected, the move wi...

Home Buyers Are Finding Ways to Take the Sting Out of Rising Mortgage Rates

Mortgage rates are at their highest level in more than a decade. Home buyers are fighting back.  More borrowers are paying fees to cut their interest rates and making higher down payments to lower the...

Foreclosure filings are up 132% from a year prior. Here’s what that means

What does the recent uptick in foreclosures mean for the housing market now? Getty Images When we were reading through real estate data this month, three stats caught our eye. The first: That the numb...

‘I think we’re in the final innings.’ Pimco’s Kiesel thinks the housing market has hit its top

Mark Kiesel is thinking of selling his California home and becoming a renter. Families looking to buy a home make want to take heed. Kiesel, who serves as global credit chief investment officer at Pim...

‘Buyers of a median-price home are looking at a monthly mortgage payment that is almost 50% higher than it was a year ago.’ The 30-year mortgage rate dips slightly to 5.1%

The interest rate on the country’s benchmark mortgage product edged downward for the first time since early March, but that doesn’t mean the housing market will see a reprieve. The 30-year fixed-rate ...

Saudi Royals Are Selling Homes, Yachts and Art as Crown Prince Cuts Income

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia—Saudi princes have sold more than $600 million worth of real estate, yachts and artwork in the U.S. and Europe since the kingdom’s de facto ruler tightened the purse strings of th...

What to expect if you’re thinking about buying an investment property

Think about your objective as it will inform what kind of property you’ll buy. Getty Images Many people dream of owning real estate that nets them a rent check each month, but knowing what you might a...

Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Other Stocks That Can Keep Climbing—Even If the Housing Market Slows

Text size Home improvement retailers like Home Depot will thrive even if the housing market has peaked. Stefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images Home improvement stores were big beneficiaries of the white-ho...

4 housing market predictions for 2022, from economists and real estate pros

We asked home and mortgage experts and economists what they predict will happen this spring. Getty Images/iStockphoto We asked home and mortgage experts and economists what they predict will happen in...

Decade-High Mortgage Rates Pose Threat to Spring Housing Market

U.S. housing sales are heating up again this spring, but the highest mortgage rates in more than a decade threaten to cool the sales pace that has gripped the market for nearly two years. Home sales r...

This is where property taxes increased the most last year — it’s not in California or New York

Today’s home buyers could be in for a shock when the tax man comes calling. In 2021, around $328 billion in property taxes were imposed on single-family homes across the country, according to a new re...

Mortgage rates soar to highest level in over a decade — even wealthy home buyers are feeling the pain

Mortgage rates are soaring, and no one is being spared. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 5% as of the week ending April 14, representing an increase of 28 basis points from the pr...

As mortgage rates climb, one big thing homebuyers should consider doing now

Is a mortgage rate lock right for you? Getty Images Mortgage rates will likely rise throughout 2022, many experts predict. Indeed, both Holden Lewis, home and mortgage expert at Nerdwallet, and Jeff O...

Three value stocks that can provide safety as interest rates rise

Stocks have been on a rocky road this year, as investors have tried to anticipate every possible move by the Federal Reserve to combat inflation. Value strategies have held up better than growth strat...

This is exactly how much income homebuyers are bringing to the bargaining table

How much income do homebuyers usually come to the table with? Getty Images/iStockphoto The median household income in America is about $68,000, according to the Census Bureau — but that may not be eno...

As Mortgage Rates Rise, Home Sellers Fear Time Is Running Out to Cash In

Blood pressure is now rising along with home prices and mortgage rates as homeowners fear missing out on the right moment to stake the “For Sale” sign in the front yard. The mood among sellers seems t...

As mortgage rates surge higher, these home buyers are being pushed out of the market

The steep upward climb in mortgage rates still isn’t showing any signs of stopping. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 4.72% as of the week ending April 7, Freddie Mac FMCC, -0.03% ...

We are both doctors but struggle with $472K in student loans. Can we get help?

How to get out of student loan debt Getty Images/iStockphoto Question: I have $237K in loans and my wife has $235K in loans. We are not currently making any payments [thanks to government relief] but ...

4 economists and real estate pros on exactly when mortgage rates will hit 5%

Pros expect that higher mortgage rates will cool the housing boom somewhat. Getty Images/iStockphoto If mortgage rates continue on their current trajectory, some experts predict 30-year fixed rates co...

Here’s how much a 40-year mortgage would save you each month vs. a 30-year loan. And the ultimate cost.

The U.S. home-financing market has been dominated by the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage loan for decades. Now some key players in the U.S. housing market think it is time to give home buyers the option o...

Is a yield curve inversion a foreboding sign for mortgage rates? Does it really signal a recession? Economists weigh in.

For a moment this week, the bond market flashed a signal that some associate with impending recessions. Home buyers need not worry just yet, according to economists. On Friday, the 2-year rate, which ...