If you’ve been watching mortgage rates hover near 7% this year, you’re probably feeling frustrated.

The dream of homeownership feels more expensive than ever. And for many prospective buyers, purchasing when rates are high means stretching their budget, settling for less house than they want or risking financial strain.

But here’s what ...Read more

ST. LOUIS — Beyond immediate needs tied to shelter and safety, preservation experts and local officials say they’ve heard a common refrain in the aftermath of last month’s deadly tornado that ravaged parts of St. Louis, bringing down multiple brick structures:

What’s going to become of all that brick from damaged buildings — and how ...Read more

“Focus on facts, not emotions.”

I wrote that once, but I’ve come to realize that sometimes saving money is as much about contending with your emotions as it is about budgeting. Here’s what I mean.

I usually have this gnawing guilt anytime I spend a few hours at home doing “nothing.” To be clear, I don’t mean staring at the wall...Read more

When you imagine a renter of affordable housing, Christopher McCormick is probably not who comes to mind.

The 38-year-old software developer was on his way to work in early 2020 when he passed an affordable apartment building under construction in Emeryville, California. He was surprised to find that his annual income — $79,400 — qualified ...Read more

In the wake of the devastating Eaton fire that tore through Altadena, California, in January, hundreds of signs sprouted up in the ash-laden yards of burned-down homes: "Altadena Not for Sale."

The slogan signified a resistance toward outside investors looking to buy up the droves of suddenly buildable lots. But as the summer real estate market...Read more

Nevada legislators approved a bill to change probate laws and sent it to the governor’s desk this past weekend, after the Las Vegas Review-Journal found a cottage industry reaped paydays selling dead people’s homes through court but often didn’t make a dime for heirs.

The state Senate and Assembly both unanimously approved a measure that ...Read more

ST. LOUIS — The sounds of nail guns and roofing hammers echoed through the neighborhood as Lisa Mannery surveyed the impassible pile of branches stacked in her backyard. An HVAC unit hung precariously from the roof of the still-closed Save A Lot on Natural Bridge Avenue behind her house.

Her roof, like many others nearby, was covered by a ...Read more

CHICAGO — After nearly a decade of big swings and misses, including a recent failed bid to build a new White Sox ballpark, The 78 and developer Related Midwest may have finally found an anchor tenant to kick-start the proposed mixed-use megadevelopment in the South Loop.

The Chicago Fire announced plans Tuesday for a privately financed $650 ...Read more

Big bank mergers are starting to pick up steam in 2025, and history shows that’s not typically good news for savers. The recent wave of consolidation in the banking industry could spell trouble for your interest rates, account terms and overall financial choices.

As a reporter who has gained some keen insights on banking, covering finance for...Read more

As you plan for retirement, building a secure nest egg becomes a top priority. Individual retirement annuities and individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are two similar-sounding options, but they function in very distinct ways.

This article explains how individual retirement annuities work, their advantages and disadvantages and how they ...Read more

Debts in collections typically stay on your credit report for seven years and can harm your score for as long as they appear. Some credit repair tactics can potentially get collection accounts taken off of your credit report sooner, but that’s generally only if the information is inaccurate.

Some people may recommend asking for a pay-for-...Read more

When Google made its $1 billion pledge to address the Bay Area’s housing shortage in 2019, the plan hinged on the company expanding its office presence in Silicon Valley.

The majority of the housing pledge wasn’t cash — though there was some of that — but land. Specifically, $750 million worth of suburban office parks the company ...Read more

Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes last month fell by the most since September 2022, illustrating a disappointing spring selling season as prospective buyers balk at high asking prices and borrowing costs.

An index of contract signings dropped 6.3% in April to 71.3, according to National Association of Realtors data issued Thursday. ...Read more

Carolyn Bennett remembers flipping through a yellow telephone book in the 1980s to find carpet stores and workers who refinished wood to help renovate her home.

Today, the 67-year-old uses a chatbot to help her shop. Bennett has turned to ChatGPT, which she refers to as "Chat," to find vendors for a kitchen renovation project, compare heat ...Read more

New York City's Rent Guidelines Board lowered the range of potential rent increases for some 2 million New Yorkers in an unusual redo vote on Tuesday — a move that comes as the issue of freezing rents has taken center stage in the contentious mayoral race.

The board reduced the proposed range of increases for rent-stabilized tenants with two-...Read more

The $3.8 trillion Republican tax bill that just passed the House includes a provision to kill off the popular IRS Direct File program, which lets people file their federal income tax returns for free online.

The bill still needs to pass the Senate to become law, but if the bill is enacted as currently written, the Direct File program is slated...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Louis Vuitton is gearing up to go over the top again in Beverly Hills.

With plans for an ultra-opulent hotel on Rodeo Drive stymied by voters two years ago, the Paris fashion house's owners are back with a proposal for a theatrical flagship store designed by architect Frank Gehry that would anchor the north end of the famous ...Read more