3 positive signals for Home Depot — and its shareholders — heading into 2026

The stars look like they’re finally aligning in 2026 for Home Depot — one of seven out-of-favor portfolio stocks that Jim Cramer has called a buy. Although shares are down nearly 11% year-to-date, three recent developments point toward a recovery for the home improvement retailer. 1. November’s cooler-than-expected consumer price index (CPI) is helping the … Read more

What the Christmas movie ‘Elf’ can teach us about today’s cost of living

Bob Newhart and Will Ferrell star in “Elf.” Warner Bros. In the 2003 movie “Elf,” the lead character Buddy discovers he is human, though he has spent his life raised by elves. He travels to New York City to find his real family, including his father who shares an Upper West Side apartment with his … Read more

November home sales struggle as supply stalls

High home prices, stubbornly high mortgage rates and now less supply are all weighing on potential homebuyers. Sales of previously owned homes rose just 0.5% in November from October and were 1% lower than November 2024, according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales came in at an annualized rate of 4.13 million units. This … Read more

Homeowners are losing thousands in equity thanks to weakening prices

A tract of new tightly packed homes are viewed along the Boulder City Parkway on January 11, 2022 in Henderson, Nevada. George Rose | Getty Images Home values have been losing ground for much of this year, with previously huge annual gains shrinking to nothing. The result is that homeowners are losing equity. Borrower equity … Read more

Home prices go negative for the first time in over 2 years — and may stay that way for a while

A home is shown for sale in The Heights in Houston, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Kirk Sides | Houston Chronicle | Getty Images Home prices have finally come down compared with last year, though just fractionally, according to daily reads from Parcl Labs, which looks at high-frequency listing data on single-family homes, condos and townhomes, … Read more

Refinance demand for FHA loans jumps 24%, as homeowners seek the most savings they can

Manusapon Kasosod | Moment | Getty Images Current homeowners are looking for any savings they can get, and with mortgage rates on conventional loans not moving much, that isn’t easy. Loans from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which require mortgage insurance, however, are providing an outlet. Total applications to refinance a home loan rose 14% … Read more

Home sellers are giving up at ‘unusually high rate,’ says new Realtor report

Homes in Hercules, California, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Late fall tends to be the time when the most homes come off the market, as so-far unsuccessful sellers would rather not sit through the slowest winter months. In October, however, delistings, which are reported with a … Read more

Mortgage rates finally moved lower last week, but that didn’t do much for demand

Homes in Hercules, California, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images After rising for several weeks, mortgage rates moved decidedly lower last week, but not enough to make much of a difference in demand from current borrowers or potential homebuyers. Total mortgage application volume fell 1.4% for the … Read more

Homebuyers make a last gasp effort before the holidays, but interest rates offer little incentive

A “For Sale” sign in front of a home in Crockett, California, US, on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images Mortgage rates have hovered around the same range for roughly two months, giving current borrowers nor potential homebuyers little incentive to get into the market. Total mortgage application volume … Read more

Manhattan condo values fell over the past decade. Here’s why rents are still rising

From July 2024 to July 2025, 1 in 3 condos sold in Manhattan sold at a loss, according to luxury real estate firm Brown Harris Stevens. Experts say this dynamic is somewhat typical in a city with high selling fees and high tax rates. What is unusual is the borough’s wavering property values over the … Read more