mortgage rates

5 Things You Must Know About Mortgages

Even after the housing crisis, many potential buyers still don't know even the most basic things about mortgages. Here are five essential facts about financing a home.

U.S. New-Home Sales Jump to Highest in 4.5 Years

U.S. new-home sales jumped in January from the previous month to the highest level since July 2008, a sign that the housing recovery is accelerating. New-home sales rose nearly 16 percent in January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 437,000, the largest percentage increase in nearly 20 years.

Late-Payment Rate on U.S. Mortgages Hits 4-Year Low

Homeowners who took on mortgages well after the housing bubble burst are doing a better job in keeping up with payments, a trend that has helped push the national rate of late payments on home loans to the lowest level in four years.

A Look at Back at Bank Scandals Since the Financial Crisis

Even before the LIBOR scandal hit, the financial industry's image was already badly tarnished by its leading role in causing the global financial crisis and recession. Here's a look at some of the low points for banking and bankers since the start of the financial crisis.

Year-End Review: Simple Ways to Cut Your Budget Now

If a fiscal cliff deal isn't reached soon, we'll all wake up on Jan. 1 with higher taxes and lower government spending. One way or another, you'll likely have a bit less cash to spend, so the next few weeks would be a good time to figure out where you can cut your spending to compensate.

Home Prices Rise in October by 6.3%, the Most in 6 Years

U.S. home prices rose 6.3 percent in October compared with a year ago, the largest yearly gain since July 2006. The jump adds to signs of a comeback in the housing market. But month-over-month, prices fell 0.2 percent in October from September, reflecting the end of the summer home-buying season.

The Downside of Credit Unions

Credit union membership is at an all-time high, thanks to our rising disillusionment with traditional banks. Banks, after all, are run by executives aiming to enrich stockholders, while credit unions are owned by, and run for the benefit of, their members. But that doesn't mean credit unions are right for everyone.

Fighting Off Foreclosure: One Woman's Three-Year Ordeal

When even a single home goes into foreclosure, the effects can be far reaching. In the case of Dee, when she faced foreclosure on her home in Prince George's County, Maryland, the potential hardship extended well beyond her immediate family.

Woman Who Lost Home Sues Big Banks Over LIBOR Manipulation

What can you do when a megabank takes your home? How about suing a dozen of them. Annie Bell Adams has filed suit against 12 of the world's biggest banks, alleging that their manipulation of the LIBOR rate caused her mortgage payments to be much higher than they otherwise would have been.

Are You Better Off Than You Were Four Years Ago?

It's the question every incumbent up for reelection has had to answer since challenger Ronald Reagan first posed it to President Jimmy Carter in 1980. But in this 2012 campaign, the answer is not so simple, for all the rhetoric on both sides.

Wall Street Watch Thursday: Hewlett-Packard Drops the Box

No one was expecting good news out of Hewlett-Packard's analyst day on Wednesday, but few imagined the leading PC maker would dramatically slash its near-term guidance. CEO Meg Whitman stunned investors, forecasting profitability to drop in the fiscal year that begins next month.