Real Estate
Housing market coverage, home buying and selling, mortgages, rentals, and property investment. From market trends to the practical decisions involved in owning or renting.
Latest in Real Estate
The median U.S. asking rent rose to $1,379 in May, its fourth straight monthly gain
Renters searching for a new apartment in May faced a median asking price of $1,379, the fourth consecutive month that figure has climbed. The streak...
A home-equity line lets you tap your house at rates well below most credit cards, but your home is the collateral
Homeowners carrying high-interest credit card balances face a straightforward but high-stakes trade-off: a home-equity line of credit, or HELOC, lets them borrow against their property...
Only 1 in 4 homes sold above asking in May, down from a year ago as sellers lose their edge
A year ago, bidding wars were still common enough across the Mid-Atlantic that sellers could list high and expect buyers to meet them there. That...
The typical U.S. home sold for $429,300 in May
Buyers paid a median price of $429,300 for an existing home in May 2026, even as mortgage rates climbed and borrowing costs squeezed household budgets....
Homes for sale just hit their highest level since 2020
Buyers shopping for newly built homes now face the widest selection of available properties recorded since 2020, a shift that could soften prices in new-construction...
Mortgage rates fell to a one-month low of 6.31% after the Iran deal
Homebuyers shopping for a fixed-rate mortgage caught a break after the Iran nuclear deal pushed rates to 6.31 percent, the lowest print in roughly a...
The 30-year mortgage is averaging about 6.6% as inflation keeps rates elevated
Homebuyers shopping for a fixed-rate loan in mid-2026 are paying roughly 6.6 percent on a 30-year mortgage, a level that has barely budged since late...
A transfer-on-death deed passes your home straight to heirs without going through probate
California homeowners gained a direct way to pass residential property to heirs without a probate filing when the state enacted the revocable transfer-on-death deed, effective...
Recasting your mortgage after a lump-sum payment lowers the monthly bill without refinancing
Homeowners sitting on a lump sum of cash, whether from an inheritance, a bonus, or the sale of another property, can cut their monthly mortgage...
A HELOC lets homeowners borrow against their equity, with the house as collateral
Homeowners who have built equity in their properties can convert that value into a revolving credit line, but the trade-off is direct: the house itself...
Comparing three mortgage lenders can save a borrower thousands over the loan
Homebuyers who accept the first mortgage rate they receive can end up paying thousands of dollars more than borrowers with identical credit profiles who collect...
A reverse mortgage lets homeowners 62 and up borrow against equity, payment-free
Homeowners who are at least 62 years old can borrow against the equity they have built in their homes without making monthly mortgage payments, a...
First-time buyers made up 35% of May home sales, the highest share since 2020
First-time home buyers grabbed their largest slice of the housing market in five years during May, accounting for 35 percent of existing-home sales as overall...
A 15-year mortgage costs more each month but saves tens of thousands in interest over a 30-year loan
Homebuyers who opt for a 15-year fixed mortgage face monthly payments that can run hundreds of dollars higher than a 30-year alternative on the same...
Existing-home sales rose 3.2% in May to a 4.17 million pace, with the median price at $429,300
Buyers who had been sitting on the sidelines pushed existing-home sales up 3.2% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.17 million units,...
Buyers had 4.5 months of homes to choose from in May, the most in nearly a year
Home shoppers across the United States had more room to browse in May than at any point in nearly a year. The National Association of...
Once you owe less than 80% of your home’s value, you can demand your lender drop private mortgage insurance
Homeowners who have paid down their mortgage balance to less than 80 percent of their home’s value hold a legal right to demand that their...
Home sales climbed to a five-month high in May as listings rose to their highest level since last summer
American homebuyers got more options in May, and they responded. Existing-home sales climbed 3.2 percent from April to reach a seasonally adjusted annual rate of...
Paying your mortgage every two weeks adds one extra payment a year and can shave years off the loan
Homeowners who split their monthly mortgage into two payments every two weeks end up making the equivalent of one extra full payment each year, a...
Getting estimates from three lenders can save thousands, and a rate lock holds the number while you close
Nearly half of all mortgage borrowers apply with just one lender, according to federal survey data, even though collecting three or more Loan Estimates can...