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"Date the rate, marry the house": The lure of refinancing when buying a home

Aug 22, 2023
Mortgage rates are still high, but some real estate agents have been citing an old refrain: "You can always refinance." Except, others say, when you can't
Even if mortgages get cheaper, so might homes, which would complicate refinancing, said Sacramento real estate agent Erin Stumpf.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Mortgage demand is up, but lenders are more cautious

Jun 14, 2023
Mortgage applications rose last week, thanks in part to a dip in mortgage rates, according to a new report. But credit availability has been falling.
Mortgage demand and mortgage supply are moving in different directions.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

As stocks flag and home prices dip, consumers spend less, spend different

Sep 27, 2022
It's called the wealth effect: Household spending decisions tend to be influenced by the ups and downs of asset prices.
Research suggests that feeling pinched financially shifts spending from services to goods, says  Stephanie Tully at the University of Southern California.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Many Chinese homebuyers are paying mortgages on homes they may never live in

Sep 14, 2022
With real estate firms in financial distress, thousands of people are left with unfinished condos. Some are trying to fight back.
Last year, musician Chen Peng took Marketplace to the development in Zhengzhou where he bought a two-bedroom condo. The development remains unfinished today.
Charles Zhang/Marketplace

Rising interest rates increase the appeal — and the risk — of ARMs

May 24, 2022
More homebuyers are applying for adjustable-rate mortgages, which often come with a lower initial monthly payment. But borrowers could end up paying more in the long run.
The number of applications for adjustable mortgages has increased 22% over the last year, per the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

How has your credit score affected you?

Feb 21, 2022
"Marketplace Tech" is exploring the credit score system and its algorithm. And we want to hear from you!
Your credit score can determine whether you receive a credit card or a loan.
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Unemployed and unable to refinance

Oct 15, 2021
With mortgage rates around 3%, many of those who might benefit the most from refinancing and reducing their monthly payments aren’t able to.
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Climate change is going to make buying a home even more expensive

Sep 28, 2021
A report from the Mortgage Bankers Association says environmental risk will likely lead to higher insurance premiums and loan interest rates.
A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop near homes in California, where wildfires, exacerbated by climate change, have destroyed many properties.
David McNew via Getty Images

Report shows decrease in underwater mortgages

Aug 5, 2021
The numbers aren't like what they were during the housing crisis, when almost a quarter of homeowners owed more than what their home was worth.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

More homeowners are seeking long-term mortgage relief

Nov 6, 2020
Some who left forbearance plans are delaying payments again.
A woman marches during the Cancel Rent and Mortgages rally in June in Minneapolis. There are 2.9 million mortgages in active forbearance, according to a report Friday from mortgage data company Black Knight.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images