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Instant View: New home sales, prices rise in April

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:31:47 -0400

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New single-family home sales rose more than expected in April and prices pushed higher, further evidence the housing market was turning the corner. COMMENTS: WILLIAM LARKIN, FIXED INCOME PORTFOLIO MANAGER AT CABOT MONEY MANAGEMENT IN SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS "Today's numbers I think are indicating that housing is definitely in the bottoming phase and benefiting from record low mortgage rates. ...

US rate on 30-year mortgage hits record 3.83 pct.

Thu, 10 May 2012 10:23:32 -0400

Average U.S. rates for 30-year and 15-year fixed mortgages fell to fresh record lows this week. Cheap mortgage rates have made home-buying and refinancing more affordable than ever for those who can qualify.

Canada housing agency sees rates on hold in 2012

Tue, 08 May 2012 10:11:24 -0400

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's federal housing agency predicted on Tuesday that the central bank will hold interest rates at 1.0 percent for the remainder of this year, and said it expected mortgage rates to also stay relatively flat in 2012. CMHC did not say how it arrived at this particular outlook on central bank monetary policy, which is more dovish than that of many market players. "The Bank of Canada has kept its target for the overnight interest rate at 1.0 percent since September 2010 and has indicated that it is likely to remain at 1. ...

Maybe no housing rebound for a generation: Shiller

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:20:07 -0400

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Housing market is likely to remain weak and may take a generation or more to rebound, Yale economics professor Robert Shiller told Reuters Insider on Tuesday. Shiller, the co-creator of the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index, said a weak labor market, high gas prices and a general sense of unease among consumers was outweighing low mortgage rates and would likely keep a lid on prices for the foreseeable future. "I worry that we might not see a really major turnaround in our lifetimes," Shiller said. ...

Why the Slowest Investors Win the Race

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:10:05 -0400

When It Comes to Your 401K, Slower Is Better

Most Canadians plan no home buying in next 2 years: RBC

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 06:01:39 -0400

TORONTO (Reuters) - A growing majority of Canadians do not intend to buy a house in the next two years, even with mortgage rates near record lows, according to a Royal Bank of Canada survey released on Thursday. In RBC's annual poll of Canadian homeowners, 73 percent of respondents said they are unlikely to buy within the next two years, an increase of 2 percent over the previous year's survey. However, 46 percent of those polled expected mortgage rates to stay at ultra-low levels next year, up sharply from 30 percent in 2011. ...

Ahead of the Bell: Weekly mortgage rates

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:37:22 -0400

Freddie Mac is expected to report on weekly mortgage rates on Thursday morning.

Low prices boost SF home sales to 5-year Jan. high

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:49:36 -0500

Home sales in the San Francisco Bay area reached a five-year high for January, as prices and mortgage rates plunged, a real estate tracking firm reported Thursday.

Rate on 30-year mortgage drops to record 3.89 pct.

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:42:56 -0500

Fixed mortgage rates fell once again to a record low, offering a great opportunity for those who can afford to buy or refinance homes. But few are able to take advantage of the historic rates.

Credit score focus of new celeb-backed debit card

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:31:39 -0500

Personal finance media personality Suze Orman is thinking big. She's the first out of the gate in the fast-growing prepaid debit card market with a card that aims to help its users build a credit score. It's a gamble that could pay off, if it can help create a way measure the creditworthiness of millions who function outside the traditional financial system.

First Person: What My College Degree Means to Me

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:56:09 -0500

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Fixed mortgage rates end year above record lows

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:49:59 -0500

Fixed mortgage rates rose slightly this week off their record lows. The year ends much like it began, with few people able to take advantage of the best rates in history.

Fixed mortgage rates rise above record lows

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:15:11 -0500

Fixed mortgage rates rose slightly this week off their record lows. The year ends much like it began, with few people able to take advantage of the best rates in history.

New Website Takes Social Approach To Personal Finance

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:58:58 -0500

see photosLuis Louro/istockphotoClick for full photo gallery: The 10 Biggest Individual Tax Expenditures The Internet is a great source of information on personal finance, but often this information lacks the personal touch. The new website MyMoneyCircles.com aims to provide that personalized element by taking an interactive, social media-style approach. Though it [...]

It's Not Too Late: Year-End Tax Moves

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:06:22 -0500

Image by 401K via Flickr Once you’ve reached the last month of the tax year, your options are limited to minimize your income taxes. But there are a few things that could still be done, so don’t give up hope. For example, you could double up your real estate taxes by prepaying [...]

End-of-the-Year Checklist for Divorcing Women

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:48:23 -0500

Image by 401K via Flickr Most women wait until after the holidays to move forward with their divorces --and that’s completely understandable. Many don’t want to disrupt family traditions for their children. Some welcome the distraction offered by the hustle and bustle of the season. And, of course, others want to [...]

First Person: I Repaid My Student Loans While Still in College

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:46:00 -0500

Home market being held back by wary first-timers

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:02:35 -0500

This should be a great time to buy a first home. Prices have sunk to 2002 levels. Sellers are waiting anxiously as homes languish on the market. Mortgage rates are their lowest ever.

U.S. Housing Market Still On Life Support

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:39:29 -0500

With each passing year, the former Oracle of the Fed, Alan Greenspan, is reminded that there really was a housing bubble and lowering interest rates to record lows just matters worse. Nearly four years after the housing market peak in 2007, record low mortgage rates are no match for falling [...]

U.S. Housing Market Still On Life Support; Prices At 2003 Levels

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:39:29 -0500

With each passing year, the former Oracle of the Fed, Alan Greenspan, is reminded that there really was a housing bubble and lowering interest rates to record lows just made matters worse. Nearly four years after the housing market peak in 2007, record low mortgage rates are no match for [...]

Rate on 30-year fixed mortgage falls to 3.98 pct.

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:44:50 -0500

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage hovered above its record low for a fourth straight week. But cheap mortgage rates have done little to boost home sales or refinancing.

Obama's Student Loans Paid Off, Will Yours?

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 14:44:46 -0400

Borrower (and lender) in-chief. Image by AFP via @daylife At a White House briefing for online personal finance writers last week, President Barack Obama was asked what money advice he himself had found most valuable. The President riffed on his Kansas born grandmother, who worked her way up from bank secretary [...]