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Remodelers struggle as homeowners tighten belts

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:08 -0500

Remodelers say they are being asked to do a lot more small projects these days rather than the big makeovers popular in the housing boom of the last decade.

Video: When Will Apple Pay Dividends?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:45:51 -0500

Apple has almost $100 billion in cash. Why doesn't it pay a dividend? MarketWatch's Jonathan Burton talks with Don Taylor, manager of Franklin Rising Dividends Fund about Apple, plus stocks to watch for dividend-hungry investors. Photo: Getty Images.

Mutual Funds Weekly: ETFs for a Greek odyssey

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:24:19 -0500

The odyssey that is the Greek debt crisis appears to be coming to an orderly conclusion, though perhaps only to the latest chapter. The original Odyssey, after all, spans 24 books.

The 4 record highs home building hit in 2011

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:38:40 -0500

Home builders manage to hit four record highs in 2011, a year in which housing starts and new-home sales set record lows.

Personal Finance Daily: Boomers leveraging their home equity

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:10:46 -0500

We have a lot of real estate news and analysis for you today on MarketWatch, from mortgage rates and the bank foreclosure settlement to a report on what older Americans are doing with their home equity. (Hint: They’re not letting it just sit around.)

Mortgages: Rate on 30-year-fixed mortgage holds at record low

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:55:18 -0500

The 30-year-fixed mortgage rate holds the line at the record low it hit a week ago, while average interest rates on the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage and other loan products inch higher in response to positive job-market news.

30-year mortgage rate matching record low of 3.87%

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:59:53 -0500

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- The average rate on the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage remained at 3.87% in the week ending Feb. 9, matching a record low set in the prior week, Freddie Mac said Thursday in its weekly report on mortgage rates. The 30-year mortgage data go back to 1971. A year ago, the 30-year rate was at 5.05%. To obtain the latest rate, payment of an average 0.8 point was required, according to Freddie, a buyer of residential mortgages. A point is 1% of the mortgage amount, charged in prepaid interest. The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage ticked higher to 3.16% in the latest week from a record low of 3.14% in the prior week. The 15-year-mortgage data go back to 1991. Meanwhile, the average rate on the 5-year Treasury-indexed hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage rose to 2.83% from a record low of 2.80% in the prior week. The five-year-mortgage data go back to 2005. The 1-year Treasury-indexed ARM rose to 2.78% from 2.76%.

Robert Powell: Boomers turn home equity into 401(k) funds

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:01:51 -0500

Some boomers are tapping their home equity and investing the money in tax-deferred accounts. There are risks and rewards to this sort of leveraging strategy.

Chuck Jaffe: Money-fund reforms won’t stop next crisis

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:01:13 -0500

In dealing with money-market funds, securities regulators are so busy trying to solve the last financial crisis that they’re not really confronting the next one, says Chuck Jaffe.

Americans still sold on homeownership

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:40:46 -0500

Despite the beating that home prices have taken over the last five years, Americans are still optimistic about their own housing situation, a new poll shows.