2025

Earlier this year, when mortgage rates soared to 7.26%, a cloud of worry hung over the housing market — many feared that home sales would tumble in 2025, fueled by concerns about inflation and tariffs. But when it seemed doom and gloom would prevail, the 10-year yield dropped, pulling mortgage rates lower in a lovely slow dance. This unexpected turn of events breathed new life into the market, pushing...

In separate rulings this week, federal judges in Maryland and California told the Trump administration that it must reinstate thousands of probationary employees who were let go without advance notice or cause. These include many at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). “When the federal government terminates large numbers of...

Skip the salt stains this winter—these eight clever snow removal hacks will help you clear your walkways without the corrosive...

Learn how to use liquid masking tape to save time and effort next time you need to paint a...

Laundry appliance manufacturers regularly refine their washers and dryers to make them more effective, efficient and user-friendly, showcasing their latest innovations at the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS). Here are five top laundry design and technology trends from the 2025 event,...

Keeping our homes orderly and free of clutter is a struggle for many of us, especially if we’re not naturally organized. If you fall into this category, there’s definitely hope —...

Israeli startup eSelf AI has developed a technology that provides interactive AI real estate agents capable of answering questions and guiding prospective buyers through listings at any time. “We are not only a face that is moving and speaking while the agent responds to the user, but we also have sharing video and image capabilities,” eSelf AI co-founder and CEO Alan Bekker told Fox...

Utah-based Inside Real Estate has acquired ListAssist, which provides artificial intelligence (AI)-powered search and marketing technology that’s designed to enhance the property search experience. Joe Skousen, CEO of Inside Real Estate, described the acquisition as a step toward revolutionizing how consumers search for homes. “We are thrilled to welcome ListAssist to the Inside Real Estate...

Despite a drop in overall profitability in the fourth quarter of 2024, FOA, one of the nation’s leading reverse mortgage lenders, remains optimistic about the total addressable market for home equity-based retirement products and will continue to develop its offerings in 2025. This was some of the perspective shared this week by Kristen Sieffert, president of Finance of America (FOA) when the company...

While it’s important to understand the unique challenges faced by older Americans in rural or suburban areas as they seek to age in place in their own homes, there can also be unique challenges for those seeking to age in place in urban parts of the country. This is according to a look at the hurdles faced by Philadelphia residents by the city’s NPR and PBS affiliate, WHYY. According to data from...