The median tracked home value in New Orleans, LA rose 4.7% between August 1, 2026 and September 1, 2026 — the largest move, in either direction, across the 101 cities where RateZip tracks enough homes […]
Homeowners who bought or refinanced when money was cheap have largely stopped asking about a new mortgage. They are asking about the one they already have. That shift shows up plainly in RateZip’s Mortgage Demand […]
Key takeaways In the labor market, physical labor occupations retire earliest while professional and executive careers retire latest. For example, construction workers, miners, and agricultural workers typically leave the workforce in their early-to-mid 60s. Relatedly, […]
Every November, federal regulators reset the maximum loan sizes for government-backed mortgages, and the 2026 numbers are now in effect. If your target loan amount was just above last year’s cutoffs, these increases may move […]
Key takeaways There are several types of 401(k)s. Traditional, Roth, Safe Harbor, Solo, and SIMPLE 401(k)s; each playing by its own rules. And the differences matter a lot when it comes to taxes, contribution limits, […]
Several large lenders shaved their posted mortgage rates Wednesday morning, but the more consequential number for anyone shopping a loan wasn’t the cut. It was the distance between lenders. As of 9:50 a.m. ET, the […]
For the first time in years, homebuyers have real negotiating room. The mid-2026 market is defined by three shifts that all favor the buyer’s side of the table. 1. Price growth has nearly stopped The […]
Key takeaways The IRS doesn’t actually call this a penalty; the official term is the additional 10 percent tax, which is added to ordinary income tax when retirement assets are withdrawn before age 59½. Most […]
Something has changed in what homeowners are asking lenders for. Home-equity products — HELOCs plus reverse mortgages — drew 76% of the mortgage inquiries consumers submitted across our network over the three months through August […]
Key takeaways The most common Social Security tasks (checking out a benefit estimate, applying for retirement, etc.) can be accomplished online at ssa.gov without contacting a field office. The SSA’s web services page at ssa.gov/onlineservices […]