home ownership

Young Adults are Too Broke to Get Loans

Young adults are in less debt than they were a decade ago, but it's not because people under 35 have suddenly become fiscally responsible. It's more likely that their shaky economic status keeps them from qualifying for loans.

A Surprising Factor in Your Kids' Success: Whether You Own or Rent

There's a new study shows a surprising way parents can encourage their kids' success: Buy a house. The results suggest teenage children of homeowners are 2.6% less likely to drop out of school than teens whose parents rent their home, and are 5% less likely to get pregnant.

The Lowest Mortgage Rate, Ever!

America reached a milestone on Thursday: the lowest home mortgage rate in history. But at the same time as this astounding announcement, The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. home ownership declined 1.1% over the past decade, the biggest drop since the Great Depression. What does it all mean for homeowners, home shoppers, and real estate investors?

Down Payment Issues Weigh on Housing Market

It's no secret that now seems like a good time to buy a home: Affordability is high and interest rates are low. But those positives aren't translating into sales. Why? Mortgage issues and down payments remain choke points for buyers.

Is It Smart to Tap Retirement Funds to Buy a Home?

A 53-year-old woman got divorced in May, and now, she wants to relocate to a new city and buy a little bungalow for herself and her 100-pound dog. But with her low income, she's wondering whether her best bet to get that home is deplete her retirement savings and buy it with cash. Our experts weigh in.

Financial Landscape: Dreary Polls and Tax Loopholes

Nearly 90% of Americans still see owning a home as a key part of the American Dream, but 39% see us in a permanent economic downturn. Meanwhile, Obama has set his sights on closing tax loopholes for businesses and the rich, but the Fed just cut banks a break in new rules on debit card swipe fees.

Is Home Ownership Overrated?

For generations of Americans, home ownership has been extolled as a sound investment and source of moral virtue, stability and community. Renting was seen as anathema, a distinct second choice. But in the wake of the real estate collapse, those long-held assumptions have been called into question.

The Housing Mess Hits One New York Town Hard

In some parts of the U.S., the real estate market remains deep in recession. But even with housing prices sitting at multi-year lows, millions of houses remain empty, unable to attract buyers haunted by unemployment and a weak economy. As part of a new series, DailyFinance takes a look at one town near New York City that is still struggling with the effects of the great real estate bust.