In an effort to get the earliest reading possible on the housing market, economists at the National Association of Realtors are developing a national index that measures foot traffic, or visits to hou... more

Individual sellers can learn a great deal from mass-market homebuilders.... more

Millions of borrowers will pay off their mortgages this year. But sending in that last payment is not the end of the line. It's the beginning of the end, perhaps, but not the end itself. So don't burn... more

If the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, can builders and developers land homebuyers via the same route?... more

The housing recovery is well under way, according to the latest and best indicator of house prices. And it's more widespread than ever.... more

The typical real estate sales contract includes not just a price and a closing date but also a number of clauses, any of which can trip up the buyer or seller and scuttle the deal.... more

Do you know the difference between credit rescoring and credit repair?... more

More than a third of all potential borrowers would be willing to pay a higher rate if the mortgage came with superior service, according to a new survey.... more

As thousands of would-be buyers have discovered, short sales can be a long shot.... more

With millions of homes in foreclosure -- and millions more owners having difficulty paying their mortgages -- there's likely to be one in every neighborhood: the property that has gone to seed.... more

Mortgage makers have always been a creative lot. But these days, credit unions seem to have supplanted traditional lenders as the most inventive.... more

How can you make a billion-dollar mistake and still come out ahead? When you are a federal agency that botches payouts to financially strapped homeowners.... more

"Three bedroom, one badroom."... more

Joy and Andrew Giordano thought they could save their Baltimore home from foreclosure without any help. But in the end, they couldn't.... more

Prices on a per-square-foot basis rose in 78 of the nation's 100 most-active housing markets, another signal that a recovery is afoot, according to the latest figures from the field.... more

Most people refinance to save money. That usually means jumping to a lower rate. But you also can save big bucks by trimming the term of your loan, possibly at the very same low rate.... more

PLAYA FLAMINGO, Costa Rica -- When it comes to vacation homes, there's something for everyone.... more

In the 1970s, clothing shoppers were advised in a popular advertising jingle from the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union to "look for the union label." In that same spirit, anyone shopping f... more

WASHINGTON -- Investors know a good thing when they see one. That's why they are lining up in droves to get their hands on thousands of government-held problem loans and foreclosures under Uncle Sam's... more

There's no question that the Internet has changed the way most people shop for homes. You can find houses online, take a virtual look around and plot their locations in relation to your kids' schools,... more

Faced with an unprecedented opportunity to help Americans find the road to financial security through homeownership, policymakers are looking the other way, according to a new report from a New Mexico... more

PHILADELPHIA -- I'm dirty, sweaty and bone-tired. And I'm filled with a level of self-satisfaction that I've rarely achieved with anything else I've done.... more

Deadlines are looming for anyone seeking a review of their foreclosure proceeding, for borrowers whose lenders require them to carry flood insurance and for homeowners considering a short sale:... more

Location is often described as the most important thing in real estate. It's said to be the second and third most important things, too. But in the rental housing market, finding a high-quality tenant... more

Lost in the euphoria over record low rates for 30- and 15-year fixed-rate mortgages is perhaps an even better alternative: adjustable mortgages.... more

Under new guidelines set down by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, underwater borrowers who are seeking to sell their homes for less than what they owe must now receive decisions from their lenders within 6... more

In many parts of the country, and in most price ranges, the best properties are suddenly piling up offers from multiple bidders who know a good thing when they see one. But sometimes the highest offer... more

The good faith estimate (GFE) of closing costs that lenders are required by law to give borrowers within three days of their mortgage application is supposed to put a stop to that sort of thing. But a... more