Best summer vacation ideas for families on a budget. Budget-friendly summer vacation ideas for families who can't afford to travel this summer. Are you struggling to plan a summer vacation on a budget? You’re not alone, according to a recent Bankrate survey 60 percent of Americans who aren’t planning a summer vacation have decided they [...]
"Good afternoon. Today, the Federal Open Market Committee decided to raise the target range for the federal funds rate by 1/4 percentage point, bringing it to 3/4 to 1 percent. Our decision to make another gradual reduction in the amount of policy accommodation reflects the economy’s continued progress toward the employment and price stability objectives [...]
Want a lower interest rate, late payment fee forgiveness or a higher credit limit? Just ask for it. Nearly nine out of 10 credit cardholders who asked their credit card companies to waive a late payment fee were successful, and about two-thirds who asked for a lower interest rate were approved, according to CreditCards.com. “It’s [...]
Home prices nationwide increased year-over-year, according to a new CoreLogic report. From January of 2013 to January of 2014, home prices, including distressed home sales, increased by an average of 12 percent. If you look at single-family sales in certain areas, appreciation is higher when distressed sales are included rather than excluded. You would think [...]
Last year was the year of the housing recovery. Home prices increased almost 12 percent over in 2013—almost twice what they did in 2012—bringing some markets back up to pre-crisis levels, according to Santa Ana, Calif.-based real estate analytics firm CoreLogic. The housing market may not return to normal in 2014, and it may face [...]
The real estate market is recovering, and mortgage interest rates are at an all-time low. Is now the time to buy a home? According to Steve Cook, former vice president of public affairs for the National Association of Realtors, there are other issues at play. A number of hurdles stand in the way of potential [...]
Price is a huge factor for investors and hedge fund groups that are interested in real estate investing. For that reason, many investors turned to purchasing foreclosures in recent years—the properties were discounted, and many were in great locations that were previously cost prohibitive. But as the number of investors snapping up distressed properties grew, [...]
Should you use retirement funds to buy a house? Borrowing from a 401(k) to buy a house can be a bad move. More in today's Real Estate Minute. If you have to borrow money from your 401(k) or other retirement accounts to fund your down payment - don’t do it - it’s just not worth [...]
Thinking about paying off your second mortgage with a home equity loan? Make sure you don't pay more than nominal fees. Q: My first mortgage will be paid in full in a couple of weeks. My home is worth around $300,000. I have a second loan of less than $30,000 with an interest rate of [...]
The housing market news sounds good, this week, as real estate investors continue to play a key role in the housing rebound. Sales of previously owned homes crawled up another .4 percent in January, which means sales would hit nearly 5 million, if this level of housing activity keeps up all year. That’s not the [...]
