What is the current CPI rate? The ONS report for November 2024 found that the CPI rate increased to 2.6%, slightly lower than economists’ predictions but notably higher than the 1.7% rate in the year to September 2024. This increase has been driven by a rise in energy bills with October...
Going through a renovation can be nerve-racking, but there are ways to avoid or reduce that stress. Robyn A. FriedmanDec. 9, 2024 What to Know About Homes and Sewers It's time to get your mind out of the gutter – and into the sewer. ...
In the current real estate market, starter homes are more expensive than they were a few years ago and more difficult to find. The definition of a starter home is beginning to change as priorities shift. Most homeowners begin with a starter home, a smaller home that needs a little TLC in...
When it comes to reducing your taxable income, itemizing your deductions can really maximize your tax savings.
area. (Exceptions are made for food, clothing and medical supplies — actual sales tax on these items is deductible even if you paid less than the general tax rate.) But for this method to work, you must have tracked all your purchases and sales taxes paid during the course of the year...
A home equity loan is most similar to a first mortgage. You receive all of the money upfront and pay it back over time with interest in fixed monthly payments. These loans are ideal for situations in which you need a sum of cash at one time, such as paying off a big debt or ...
What is a reverse mortgage? A reverse mortgage is a type of loan that pays off the current mortgage of homeowners ages 55 and older and then allows them to receive tax-free payments from theirreverse mortgage lenderby borrowing against their home’sequity. ...
“Subprime” refers to the below-average credit score of the individual taking out the mortgage, indicating that they might be a credit risk. The interest rate associated with a subprime mortgage is usually high to compensate lenders for taking the risk that the borrower will default on the loa...
Suppose a real estate developer is offering a 2-1 buydown on its new homes. If the prevailing interest rate on 30-year mortgages is 5%, a homebuyer could get a mortgage that charged just 3% in the first year, then 4% in the second year, and 5% after that. ...
One of HAMP's achievements was to provide guidelines for principal reductions that were likely to be successful. That is, they would allow homeowners to stay in their homes while proving less costly to the banks in the long run than evicting their customers. ...