Mortgage rates drop to lowest level in nearly 3 years as Trump orders buying of $200 billion in mortgage bonds

Mortgage rates drop to lowest level in nearly 3 years as Trump orders buying of 0 billion in mortgage bonds

Mortgage rates fell sharply on Friday, a day after President Donald Trump said on social media that he is instructing mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds. “This will drive Mortgage Rates DOWN, monthly payments DOWN, and make the cost of owning a home more affordable,” he said … Read more

Wall Street sees a bright 2026 for this beat-up dividend-paying stock

Wall Street sees a bright 2026 for this beat-up dividend-paying stock

The real estate sector is limping out of 2025, but Wall Street analysts spot an overlooked opportunity for the new year: Federal Realty Investment Trust . While the S & P 500 is on track for a 17% jump in 2025, the real estate sector within the broad market index is on pace to end … Read more

Home prices are getting slightly more affordable, but down payments are still holding buyers back

Home prices are getting slightly more affordable, but down payments are still holding buyers back

Mortgage rates are lower, home prices are easing, and there is more supply on the market for sale. All of that adds up to improved affordability for today’s homebuyers. Saving for a down payment, however, is still the biggest hurdle for first-time buyers. Prices nationally are basically flat compared with where they were a year … Read more

Here’s what to expect for commercial real estate in 2026

Here’s what to expect for commercial real estate in 2026

A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to venture capitalists, private equity funds, family offices, institutional investors and large public companies. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox. The 2025 economy … Read more

I stayed in a $40 capsule hotel as return to office mandates drive workers back to the city

I stayed in a  capsule hotel as return to office mandates drive workers back to the city

Capsule hotels are a cheap alternative to expensive accomodation in London for office workers. Sawdah Bhaimiya Workers who moved out of London for remote work are under pressure to come back to the office in the city, and some are choosing to stay in Japanese-inspired sleeping pods for just £30 ($40). I travelled to Piccadilly … Read more

November home sales struggle as supply stalls

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

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

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

Walmart and Alquist strike landmark deal, jump-starting 3D-printed commercial real estate

Walmart and Alquist strike landmark deal, jump-starting 3D-printed commercial real estate

Construction company Alquist 3D worked with Walmart last year to build a nearly 8,000-square-foot 3D printed addition to its store in Athens, Tennessee. Alquist A version of this article first appeared in the CNBC Property Play newsletter with Diana Olick. Property Play covers new and evolving opportunities for the real estate investor, from individuals to … Read more

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

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