All posts tagged: Mortgage

US Pending Home Sales Rebound Off Record Lows, Despite Rising Mortgage Rates

US Pending Home Sales Rebound Off Record Lows, Despite Rising Mortgage Rates

After rising in February, US Pending Home Sales were expected to continue to improve in March (+0.5% MoM) but – despite apparently rising mortgage rates – sales rose 1.5% MoM (even with February revised up to +2.5% MoM). This dragged pending home sales up to +1.8% YoY (to the highest level since Nov 2024)… Source: Bloomberg …extending its bounce off record lows… Source: Bloomberg “Contract signings rose in March despite higher mortgage rates, pointing to pent-up housing demand,” NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said in a statement. “A greater supply of inventory will help translate that demand into more home sales.” Pending home sales in the South, the biggest home-selling region in the country, increased 3.9% in March. They rose 4.4% in the Northeast but decreased in the Midwest and West. While mortgage rates did pick up at the start of March (Iran War), pending home sales have been disconnected from improving ‘affordability’ in recent months… Source: Bloomberg As a reminder, because houses typically go under contract a month or two before they’re sold, the …

The maternity and mortgage struggle of being self-employed: ‘It was overwhelming at times’ | Maternity & paternity rights

The maternity and mortgage struggle of being self-employed: ‘It was overwhelming at times’ | Maternity & paternity rights

Harriett Thompson started her maternity leave at the beginning of 2025, but at the start of this month she still had not received any of the statutory pay she was entitled to. The freelance makeup artist described what she says is a familiar experience for a lot of self-employed mothers. “Luckily [my partner] Alex started a long contract when our daughter was born, which has enabled us to get by … That’s coming to an end now, with no future work in sight, so I’m getting anxious about receiving the money,” she told us. Alex Tinney, the founder of Flex Pilates, says she faced similar delays. “I got my maternity pay literally the day I returned to work … I had to save up before going on maternity to cover my mortgage and bills and pay myself my maternity pay from my company despite the government not sending it to me for four months. Luckily, the company is in a position to do that, but that wouldn’t be the case for everyone.” Thompson applied for …

Have you lost a UK mortgage deal or seen your mortage rate increase? We would like to speak to you | Mortgages

Have you lost a UK mortgage deal or seen your mortage rate increase? We would like to speak to you | Mortgages

The crisis in the Middle East is also being felt far beyond the region, with the conflict undermining broader business and consumer confidence. One aspect of this has been the impact on the UK mortgage market. Spooked by surging oil prices and inflation fears, lenders pulled hundreds of mortgage products within 48 hours of the outbreak of war, replacing them with more expensive deals. According to Halifax, average UK house prices fell by 0.5% in March, with demand affected by higher mortgage rates. We would like to speak to people who have lost mortgage deals or those affected by more expensive rates. Maybe you have put house buying on hold. What will this mean for you? What are you doing to cope with any changes ? Share your experience You can share your responses in the form below or by messaging us. We won’t use your submission without contacting you first.  Your responses, which can be anonymous, are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We will …

My parents died and left me a mortgage, some guns and 34 decorative fish

My parents died and left me a mortgage, some guns and 34 decorative fish

Unlike me, most of my friends still have their parents. Most of my friends have never had to write an obituary, or file a life insurance claim, or deal with probate court. The closest most of my friends have come to a mortgage is browsing homes they’ll never be able to afford on Zillow. Meanwhile, I inherited a mortgage, along with several guns, broken exercise equipment, cabinets full of expired pills and 34 decorative fish. When my parents died, I was prepared for my grief — but I was completely unprepared for the legal and financial ramifications. I knew there would be a will or a trust or something (both, as it turns out), but I could only conceive of a will in terms of what I’d seen on TV. Someone dies, and then their friends and family, appropriately dressed in black, gather in a stately room while an elderly lawyer reads a list of who gets what. In reality, my dad’s will was in a cardboard box next to the Christmas decorations. He did …

When health insurance is as expensive as a mortgage payment : NPR

When health insurance is as expensive as a mortgage payment : NPR

Ken Warner sits with his cat Ostara in his home office in Manchester, Conn. where he writes sci-fi and fantasy novels. Warner and his wife, Parveen Vohra, who is a therapist, buy their insurance on HealthCare.gov. Jarod Lew for NPR hide caption toggle caption Jarod Lew for NPR Parveen Vohra and Ken Warner had an expensive year in 2025. They’re in their mid-50s, and they live in Manchester, Conn., with two dogs and three cats. They’re both self-employed, Vohra as a mental health counselor and Warner as an independent sci-fi and fantasy author. “We needed a new roof and a boiler the same year as [two] surgeries — I had a hip replacement and Parveen had some eye surgery that had to get done,” Warner says. The couple gets their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Even with a good plan, they had out-of-pocket costs. To cover those expenses, they wiped out one of two small retirement accounts they had through previous jobs, before they became self-employed. This year is shaping up to …

Markets drop as gas prices, mortgage rates rise

Markets drop as gas prices, mortgage rates rise

IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Now Playing Markets drop as gas prices, mortgage rates rise 00:53 UP NEXT Cost of war in Iran hits America’s heartland 02:31 Strike hits Jerusalem’s Old City 02:01 Trump weighs deploying ground troops 01:45 Action hero Chuck Norris dies at 86 02:01 Thousands ordered to evacuate as dam nears failure on Oahu 01:50 Urgent manhunt underway to find suspect who killed Chicago college student 01:29 Lines at TSA checkpoints grow longer amid spring break travel rush 01:57 U.S. speeding up Marine deployment to Mideast 01:48 Emotional moment high school senior wins hockey state championship after unthinkable tragedy 01:31 Some DHS contractors say they were asked to pay Trump ally Corey Lewandowski 01:16 Trump says he’s not sending ground troops to Iran 02:05 Missing American student found dead in Spain 01:31 Long airport security lines worsening, as TSA officers continue working without pay 01:57 Oil prices surge after attacks on energy sites 02:53 Second graders offer heartwarming marriage advice to their …