Real Estate

The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady at the end of its two-day meeting next week, despite President Donald Trump’s comments on Thursday that he’ll “demand that interest rates drop immediately.” So far, the central bank has moved slowly to recalibrate policy after hiking its key benchmark 5.25 percentage points between 2022 and 2023 in an

Eleganza | E+ | Getty Images It’s exciting to find a new place to rent in your neighborhood or in a new city. That is, of course, unless you get duped. In so-called rental listing scams, scammers will make up listings that aren’t available for rent or simply do not exist in order to fraudulently

Burned trees from the Palisades Fire and dust blown by winds are seen from Will Rogers State Park, with the City of Los Angeles in the background, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Jan. 15, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. Apu Gomes | Getty Images Insurance premiums were surging well before this year’s massive wildfires

The Good Brigade | Digitalvision | Getty Images Mortgage rates have risen in recent months, even as the Federal Reserve has cut interest rates. While those opposing movements may seem counterintuitive, they’re due to market forces that seem unlikely to ease much in the near term, according to economists and other finance experts. That may

Cofotoisme | E+ | Getty Images How long it takes you to save for a 20% down payment on a home depends in part on where you live.  In a pricey area such as New York City, it could take the typical buyer roughly 10.85 years to save $173,000, which is 20% of the median

The problem of stolen manhole covers in Turkey might seem an unlikely starting point for a new way for buildings to withstand earthquakes and tackle the construction industry’s environmental issues, but when a Turkish businessman heard about a new material that prevented the thefts, it sparked an idea. Cast iron is traditionally used to make

Interest rates moved lower near the end of 2024 as the Federal Reserve cut rates three times, shaving a full percentage point off the federal funds rate since September. In 2025, that trend is likely to continue. But with inflation still above the Fed’s 2% target, a strong labor market and a new administration, the central

Flames and smoke from the Palisades Fire surround a home (C) in the community of Topanga, California, on January 9, 2025.  David Swanson | Afp | Getty Images Firefighters are still working to contain the record-breaking fires that have been raging for more than a week in Southern California. The fires in the Greater Los

A completed planned development is seen in Ashburn, Virginia, on Aug. 14, 2024. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images Mortgage demand started this year stronger than it did last year, even though interest rates are higher. Total mortgage application volume last week was 7% higher than the same week one year ago, according to

Sunlight illuminates the front of a row of Victorian-era houses in a terraced street in Bristol, England.  Matt Cardy | Getty Images News | Getty Images LONDON — Hundreds of thousands of U.K. homeowners are facing the prospect of higher mortgage rates after a spike in U.K. borrowing costs. Major high street lender Virgin Money

First-time homebuyers may struggle to find adequate starter homes when the 2025 buying season begins this spring. The homes that once gave Americans a stepping stone into real estate are disappearing, according to experts. While the exact definition of a starter home varies, they’re typically under 1,400 square feet. In 2023, just 9% of the

Houses along a hillside outside Marbella on the sunny coast, Costa del Sol, in Spain. Marcus Lindstrom | Istock | Getty Images Spain is planning to impose a tax of 100% on homes bought by non-EU residents as it looks to tackle an entrenched housing crisis in the country. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on

Residential homes in Discovery Bay, California, US, on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. Mortgage rates in the US increased to the highest level since July.  David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Mortgage rates last week moved higher for the fourth week in a row. That caused already very weak mortgage demand to drop even

Housing surveyors have reported the largest fall in new buyer inquiries in October since the financial crisis, excluding the period during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Isabel Infantes | Afp | Getty Images LONDON — U.K. house prices fell for the first time in nine months in December, as the country’s Budget and higher mortgage rates dampened

Residential 19th century style residential buildings in historic center of Paris, France. Kolderal | Moment | Getty Images Europe’s real estate sector is poised for further recovery in 2025, as investment activity picks up and growth returns across key market segments, analysts have predicted. A gradual uptick in transactions in 2024 looks set to gain

A for sale sign is displayed outside of a home for sale on August 16, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. United States real estate industry rules governing agent commissions will change on August 17 as part of a legal settlement between the National Association of Realtors and home sellers. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon /

Home Depot navigated a challenging 2024 marked by elevated interest rates and a cautious consumer. But as the year progressed, signs of recovery emerged, setting the stage for a rebound in 2025, fueled by increased housing turnover and pent-up demand in the home improvement market. Year-to-date performance: up 12% Forward price-to-earnings multiple: 25 versus a

A home available for sale is shown in Austin, Texas, on May 22, 2024. Brandon Bell | Getty Images There’s good news in the housing market to close out 2024: There’s a lot more supply. The bad news: A lot of that supply is stale, sitting unsold for much longer than usual.  Active listings in

The Federal Reserve lowered its interest rate target three times in 2024. This has many Americans waiting for mortgage rates to fall. But that may not happen for some time. “I think the best case scenario is we’re going to continue to see mortgage rates hover around six and a half to 7%,” said Jordan

Homebuyers touring a house with a real estate agent. sturti | Getty The Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut interest rates for the third time in 2024. Despite the move, mortgage rates increased. The 30-year fixed rate mortgage spiked to 6.72% for the week ending Dec. 19, a day after the Fed meeting, according to Freddie