Here’s why new home sales inch higher despite 7% mortgage rates

While the spring housing market has been plagued with low supply, high prices and spiking interest rates, would-be homebuyers are focusing on new construction.  The reason? New homes have more incentives and availability than previously owned ones. “There’s more opportunity in new construction,” said Nicole Bachaud, a senior economist at Zillow Group. About 693,000 new … Read more

Mortgage demand drops as interest rates soar over 7%

A residential real estate sold sign is seen in Washington, D.C.  Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images Mortgage rates rose for the third straight week last week, hitting the highest level since November. As a result, mortgage application demand dropped 2.7% compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted … Read more

Why FEMA has spent $4 billion to help destroy flood-prone homes

Just an inch of floodwater can generate tens of thousands of dollars in property damage. Homeowners trying to move and start over after such a disaster might find a surprising buyer for their home: the government. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, has spent around $4 billion assisting in the purchase of about 45,000 … Read more

Luxury real estate prices hit an all-time record, Redfin says

Real estate is increasingly a tale of two markets — a luxury sector that is booming, and the rest of the market that continues to struggle with higher rates and low inventory. Overall real estate sales fell 4% nationwide in the first quarter, according to Redfin. Yet, luxury real estate sales increased more than 2%, … Read more

Here’s where the world’s top 0.001% are putting their money, according to wealth experts

Yana Iskayeva | Moment | Getty Images The uber wealthy live a world apart and their investing strategies also look vastly different from the average investor’s portfolio. “While there is no official threshold, centimillionaires or individuals with a total net worth of over $100 million, is a good benchmark as entry into the 0.001% club,” … Read more

Why homeownership may not be for everyone

Jannese Torres is the founder of the blog Delish D’Lites and the podcast “Yo Quiero Dinero.” Photo Jannese Torres In her upcoming book, “Financially Lit!: The Modern Latina’s Guide to Level Up Your Dinero & Become Financially Poderosa,” author Jannese Torres discusses how she became the first woman in her family to graduate from college, … Read more

Sydney home missing a large section of roof sells for almost $3 million

A Sydney home missing most of its roof has sold for nearly $3 million at auction. The three-bedroom home at 89 Fitzroy St, Burwood, in Sydney’s inner west, sold for $2,750,000 in April. Incredible images of the home show its roof has completely caved in. Newsletters: Breaking news as it happens. Subscribe now Other images … Read more

Historic estate in Montana, in the US for sale for $15, but there’s a catch

Historic preservationists and architecture enthusiasts could soon own their own slice of American history at a bargain price. A historic manor home has been listed for sale for just $US10 ($A15), putting it in the running for one of the world’s cheapest homes. But at such a low price, comes an expensive catch — the … Read more

Mortgage rates hit highest level of the year, and could go even higher

Homes in Rocklin, California, on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage crossed over 7% on April 1, according to Mortgage News Daily, and it just kept going. It now sits right around 7.5%, the highest level since mid-November of last … Read more

March homes sales dropped despite a surge in supply. Here’s why.

Prospective buyers attend an open house at a home for sale in Larchmont, New York, US, on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023.  Tiffany Hagler-Geard | Bloomberg | Getty Images Sales of previously-owned homes dropped 4.3% in March compared with February, to a seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of 4.19 million units, according to the National Association of … Read more