2024

We have had three weeks of positive year-over-year growth in both purchase application data and weekly pending contract data, with last week showing a noticeable jump from last year. Now the dose of reality: last year at this time mortgage rates were heading toward 8%, and even though 2023 showed record low sales levels, it got worse with 8% rates. So, context is critical with housing data, especially in...

Yes, you can regrow carrots from the tops for their tasty greens. Jacob Fox Can you regrow carrots from the tops you cut off? Yes and no. The big edible root part won’t regrow from the tops, but their leaves will. The greens make tasty additions to salads, pesto, and more. Packed with parsley-like flavor, bright green carrot leaves can be used fresh or dried as an herb. They can also be enjoyed...

Get into the fall spirit with our top home, food, and cleaning picks of the month. We're in full-on fall mode here at BHG, and our October favorite products clearly reflect our love for the season. This month's favorite finds include coffee alternatives for your at-home PSL, pumpkin-shape candles, and apple-scented soaps.Get into the fall spirit with us by making a steaming cup of joe with our favorite...

This is the drink of our wildest dreams. Michael Campanella/TAS24 / Getty Images After nearly two years of surprise songs, sequined costumes, and over 60 shows, Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour is finally coming to an end. This is a monumental moment for the billion-dollar tour that's become an iconic cultural moment, the superstar will take her final bow in December in Canada, but the...

Protect your precious belongings (and stay more organized) by avoiding cardboard storage options. Getty Images / Oscar Wong Packing items away in cardboard boxes is one of the worst storage mistakes you can make. Whether you're repurposing Amazon boxes for attic storage or left boxed unpacked after a move, you could be inadvertently putting your items at risk. Even if boxes are sealed (seemingly)...

It’s ultra-soft and machine-washable. Better Homes & Gardens / Reese Herrington My favorite nightly ritual is cozying up on the couch after dinner to watch a few episodes of my current TV obsession before bed. Regardless of the time of year, I’m unable to get truly comfortable without a blanket or throw to drape over my legs while I relax, but this holds especially true during the fall and...

With a little more than two weeks remaining until Election Day, the policy positions of the major political parties’ nominees for president — Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump — have been under the microscope. Each of their potential policies toward the Federal Housing Administration (FHA)’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program have already been documented by...

California-based Provident Funding Associates LLC is getting out of the Florida condo lending business, it told broker partners on Friday. In an email sent Friday morning, Provident said that it would “no longer be accepting new applications for condominiums” effective that day. Provident told broker partners that all loans in the pipeline must be locked by 11:59 p.m. PST on Oct. 31 or they’ll be...

When older homeowners wish to access a portion of their equity, there are multiple options. Of course, selling the home is generally not desirable. A cash-out refinance is also not a prudent pathway for retirees. A refinance not only saddles the homeowner with a required monthly payment but will also typically result in a higher interest rate for those that refinanced in the last decade. The Home...

Since mortgage rates have headed higher again, I was anticipating that today’s housing starts report would be the last decent print before the effects of higher mortgage rates hit the builders, but even this report was disappointing. We had a good few months of positive builder confidence data for the new home sector and positive purchase application data for existing home sales. However, mortgage...