Mortgage lenders went through a serious downturn last year, and many companies were forced to lay off staff in an effort to remain in business as interest rates jumped and buyers fled. Now the players are back and ready to fight for market share, trying out new promotions designed to attract home buyers. Will these … Read more
Shares of PulteGroup Inc. soared to a one-year high Tuesday, after the home builder’s fourth-quarter results included big profit and revenue beats, as home buyers have responded well to the recent pullback in mortgage rates. While 30-year fixed mortgage rates are still nearly double what they were a year ago, they have fallen to a … Read more
My husband and I bought a second home two years ago, for $160,000, with a 30-year mortgage at 2.5%. We bought it with the sole purpose of renting it out to our son and his new wife. They were recent college graduates, and just starting their careers. They’ve made this house their home. And it’s … Read more
We want to hear from readers who have stories to share about the effects of increasing costs and a changing economy. If you’d like to share your experience, write to readerstories@marketwatch.com. Please include your name and the best way to reach you. A reporter may be in touch. The White House unveiled a series of new … Read more
San Francisco has been home in recent days to an upside-down world of contrasts where one of the world’s richest men, Elon Musk, enters a federal courtroom with four security staff in tow to portray himself as an advocate for the average retail investor who has never lost money for his investors. The Tesla Inc. … Read more
Hi, MarketWatchers. Don’t miss these top stories. This little-known metric tells you how a mortgage-rate move impacts your ability to buy a home The National Association of Home Builders ‘price-out estimate’ focuses on how mortgage rate increases or decreases change housing accessibility. Read More My mother excluded me from her will — before she died, … Read more
We have been saving for a house here in Mississippi. We have three kids, and have rented a two-bedroom house in Mississippi for 13 years.’ We have outgrown the apartment after having three kids (aged 9, 7, 2). Rent has also increased, and is now out of control. In a month we will have to … Read more
I recently made a panic decision to withdraw all my money from one retirement account and I am now closing on a house in February (about $200,000). I am 36 years old, married and have a 1-year-old. Half of me is regretting it, and I’m worried about next year’s taxes due to the withdrawal and … Read more