RealEstate

Massachusetts Man Pays Off Mortgage with Pennies

A Massachusetts man who long ago pledged to make his last mortgage payment with pennies has fulfilled that promise, dropping off 800 pounds of them for the final payment on the Milford home he and his wife bought in 1977.

Look Who's Buying America Now!

While Americans are still reeling from the housing bust, people from around the globe are scooping up cheap American homes. Over the 12 months that ended in March, nearly 9% of all real estate spending in the U.S. was done by buyers from abroad. Is it "Rising Sun" all over again?

Sold! Contracts to Buy Homes Jump to 2-Year High

Americans signed more contracts to buy previously occupied homes in May, matching the fastest pace in two years. The increase suggests home sales will rise this summer and the modest housing recovery will continue.

Builders Start More Single-Family Homes; Permit Requests Surge

U.S. builders started work on more single-family homes in May and requested the most permits to build homes and apartments in three and a half years. The increase suggests the housing market is slowly recovering even as other areas of the economy have weakened.

Homes for Rent, $208 a Month: A Plan to Save Fannie Big Money

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now own some 200,000 foreclosed-upon homes, and they're spending $500 million a year on upkeep. That's a lot of lawn mowing. If only there were a cheaper way to get it done -- a way that benefited Americans. Here's an idea ...

KB Home: Why This Homebuilder Will Never Be Great Again

Most homebuilders saw their shares pop higher Tuesday after heavyweight Lennar released better-than-expected quarterly numbers -- but not KB Home. In fact, its shares actually fell. Here's why KB isn't invited to the housing recovery party.

Home Prices Fell in January in Most US Cities

Home prices fell in January for a fifth straight month in most major U.S. cities, as modest sales increases have yet to boost prices. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home-price index released Tuesday showed that prices dropped in January from December in 16 of 19 cities tracked.

Bad 'Dream': Renters Often Do Better than Homeowners

Becoming a homeowner is a rite of passage in America, while renting gets no respect. But when you look at how we really live, it turns out that, even ignoring the recent crash, home ownership isn't the great deal for our finances that we've been led to believe.

No Bottom in Sight: Home Prices Set Post-Crisis Lows

Just when it looked like housing prices were bottoming out and now was the time to snap up the best bargains comes news that may make you want to wait. The latest S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices show that real estate prices are continuing to descend.

Home Sales Rose 4.3% in January: Is It Time to Buy?

The National Association of Realtors reported this week that sales of existing homes rose 4.3% in January, their third rise in four months. But there are other housing trends to consider that are much more telling than a modest uptick in sales.

Readers' Tips for Financial Revival, Part 3: Investing

A few weeks ago, we asked DailyFinance readers for their best tips for putting your financial house in order. We've covered saving and spending wisely. Now, we move on to another key to long-term financial security: making your money work for you.

What to Watch This Week: Malls, Tech, Homes and Papers

With 2012's first earnings season well under way, let's go over some of the items that will help shape the week that lies ahead: Here's why you should be watching one major mall owner, two tech giants, three homebuilders and a couple of old media behemoths.

New-Home Purchases Fall, 2011 Worst Ever for Sales

Fewer people bought new homes in December, making 2011 the worst sales year on record. The Commerce Department said Thursday new-home sales fell last month to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 307,000. The pace is less than half the 700,000 that economists say must be sold in a healthy economy.

$25B Nationwide Mortgage Deal Goes to States

The nation's five largest mortgage lenders have agreed to overhaul their industry after deceptive foreclosure practices drove homeowners out of their homes, government officials said Monday. A draft settlement between the banks and U.S. states has been sent to state officials for review.