Ronald Reagan's former home for sale for $5 million
The Pacific Palisades, Calif., home where Ronald and Nancy Reagan lived just before they moved to the White House is on the market.

How can I cut my property taxes?
Lowering the value of your home by reducing your home's usable space is one way to lower your property taxes.

New home sales strongest in more than 2 years
Sales of new homes highest since April 2010, when there was a tax credit for home buyers. Housing continues to show signs of recovery.

5 signs to watch for housing in 2013
We watched for more home sales and rising prices in 2012. Here's our housing market predictions for next year.

Home prices post biggest annual jump in two years
S&P/Case-Shiller home price index shows biggest year-over-year increase since spike caused by expired tax credit.

Payback time: Florida homeowners foreclosing on banks
Since the housing bubble burst in Florida five years ago, more than 400,000 borrowers have had their homes foreclosed on by their lenders. But for some, it's payback time.

Clock ticking on mortgage tax break
Read full story for latest details.

America's Best Places to Live
These terrific small cities offer what American families care about most -- strong job opportunities, great schools, low crime, quality health care, and plenty to do. And they're true communities too

Make your old house look new again
Read full story for latest details.

Home sales, prices jump in November
Read full story for latest details.

Reverse mortgage: Is it too risky?
Read full story for latest details.

Home building slows, but still going strong
Read full story for latest details.

Luxury winter getaways for less
Vacation home prices have fallen almost 40% since the peak and the bargains are attracting buyers, especially at the high end of the market. Here's a sampling of deals you can find in winter vacation hotspots across the U.S.

Real estate in your IRA? Be careful
There's an upside to investing in property for the long haul. But beware the tax pitfalls.

American Dream homes: Prices in 9 cities
Americans aspire to own their own dream home. What you'll pay, however, varies dramatically depending on where you live.

Short sales jump ahead of tax hike
Read full story for latest details.

There's a home price recovery... but it's really, really slow
Just about everybody agrees that the housing market is finally recovering -- but don't expect big price gains.

Taxes on big gifts slated to soar
Wealthy Americans are scrambling to transfer their riches before the end of the year when gift taxes are set to jump.

Real estate: Find opportunity next year
Read full story for latest details.

Fannie, Freddie halt foreclosures for the holidays
Mortgage giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, pledged not to foreclose on delinquent borrowers during the holiday season.

New home sales dropped in February
New home sales fell in February, dashing construction industry hopes that the long-overdue housing recovery may be finally arriving.

BofA: Families facing foreclosure can rent
Bank of America has announced a program that will let homeowners facing foreclosures stay in their homes as renters.

Home buying much cheaper than renting
It's the eternal question in real estate: Should I buy or rent?

Mortgage rate jumps past 4%
After many recent weeks where mortgage rates hit record lows, the 30-year rate jumped this week to its highest level since late October.

Home sales up from last year, despite monthly dip
The housing market slipped slightly in February compared with a month earlier, but improved substantially compared with the prior year, according to a report issued Wednesday.

Builders ready for home construction rebound
Home builders are getting ready for a stronger construction season, filing for the most building permits in more than three years, in another sign of recovery in the long-battered housing market.

The fake housing recovery
When is a homebuilder not a homebuilder? When it's in an index of homebuilder stocks, of course!

Housing: The one bailout America could really use
Laurie Goodman is an apolitical number cruncher who has spent most of her 28-year career out of the public view, studying the minutiae of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) for big investment banks. She's long been a star among Wall Street insiders, however. She holds the record for the most top rankings for fixed-in-come research from the trade bible Institutional Investor.

The watch for a housing recovery
If you're waiting for home prices to go up, then you're missing signs the troubled housing market has finally turned around.

Foreclosures: A 'rising tide' ahead
The number of homes entering foreclosure dropped in February, but a new up-turn may soon be on its way.

Readers on mortgage settlement: 'This stinks'
The $26 billion foreclosure settlement has many Americans crying foul.

Rage grows over mortgage deal
As more details emerge about the massive $26 billion foreclosure settlement between the five biggest mortgage lenders and the states' attorneys general, a growing number of borrowers are realizing that the deal will do little, if anything, to help them out.

Housing settlement details filed in court
Final details were filed in federal court Monday in the $26 billion settlement to help struggling homeowners and settle charges against big banks of abusive and negligent foreclosure practices.

Remodeling? How to get a better bid
Budgeting for a large remodeling project presents a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem: You won't have a feel for the cost until you get bids from contractors.

BofA to slash mortgage balances
As part of the $26 billion foreclosure settlement, Bank of America will slash mortgage balances for about 200,000 borrowers by an average of $100,000 or more.

Boost your odds of landing a mortgage
For some would-be buyers and refinancers, today's mortgage rates are the ultimate tease. While ads tout the lowest rates in history (recently under 4% for a 30-year fixed), qualifying for a mortgage that cheap can be an exercise in frustration or futility.

Britney Spears' $2.9 million estate for sale - again
The pop singer's Beverly Hills home is hitting the market one more time -- now for more than half off the original asking price.

Mortgage rates flirt with record lows
Mortgage rates dipped into record territory again, with the 15-year fixed-rate falling to its lowest level in 60 years and the 30-year fixed-rate just a tick off its own record.

Dick Clark's rockin' retreat listed for $3.5 million
The legendary personality's custom-designed home overlooking the Pacific looks like something straight out of the Flintstones, but it's selling at modern-day prices.

New home sales dropped in February
New home sales fell in February, dashing construction industry hopes that the long-overdue housing recovery may be finally arriving.

BofA: Families facing foreclosure can rent
Bank of America has announced a program that will let homeowners facing foreclosures stay in their homes as renters.

Home buying much cheaper than renting
It's the eternal question in real estate: Should I buy or rent?

Mortgage rate jumps past 4%
After many recent weeks where mortgage rates hit record lows, the 30-year rate jumped this week to its highest level since late October.

Home sales up from last year, despite monthly dip
The housing market slipped slightly in February compared with a month earlier, but improved substantially compared with the prior year, according to a report issued Wednesday.

Builders ready for home construction rebound
Home builders are getting ready for a stronger construction season, filing for the most building permits in more than three years, in another sign of recovery in the long-battered housing market.

The fake housing recovery
When is a homebuilder not a homebuilder? When it's in an index of homebuilder stocks, of course!

Housing: The one bailout America could really use
Laurie Goodman is an apolitical number cruncher who has spent most of her 28-year career out of the public view, studying the minutiae of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) for big investment banks. She's long been a star among Wall Street insiders, however. She holds the record for the most top rankings for fixed-in-come research from the trade bible Institutional Investor.

The watch for a housing recovery
If you're waiting for home prices to go up, then you're missing signs the troubled housing market has finally turned around.

Foreclosures: A 'rising tide' ahead
The number of homes entering foreclosure dropped in February, but a new up-turn may soon be on its way.

Readers on mortgage settlement: 'This stinks'
The $26 billion foreclosure settlement has many Americans crying foul.

Rage grows over mortgage deal
As more details emerge about the massive $26 billion foreclosure settlement between the five biggest mortgage lenders and the states' attorneys general, a growing number of borrowers are realizing that the deal will do little, if anything, to help them out.

Housing settlement details filed in court
Final details were filed in federal court Monday in the $26 billion settlement to help struggling homeowners and settle charges against big banks of abusive and negligent foreclosure practices.

Remodeling? How to get a better bid
Budgeting for a large remodeling project presents a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem: You won't have a feel for the cost until you get bids from contractors.

BofA to slash mortgage balances
As part of the $26 billion foreclosure settlement, Bank of America will slash mortgage balances for about 200,000 borrowers by an average of $100,000 or more.

Boost your odds of landing a mortgage
For some would-be buyers and refinancers, today's mortgage rates are the ultimate tease. While ads tout the lowest rates in history (recently under 4% for a 30-year fixed), qualifying for a mortgage that cheap can be an exercise in frustration or futility.

Britney Spears' $2.9 million estate for sale - again
The pop singer's Beverly Hills home is hitting the market one more time -- now for more than half off the original asking price.

Mortgage rates flirt with record lows
Mortgage rates dipped into record territory again, with the 15-year fixed-rate falling to its lowest level in 60 years and the 30-year fixed-rate just a tick off its own record.

Dick Clark's rockin' retreat listed for $3.5 million
The legendary personality's custom-designed home overlooking the Pacific looks like something straight out of the Flintstones, but it's selling at modern-day prices.

Finally, a foreclosure settlement (Maybe)
States have until late Monday to agree to the latest draft deal aimed at relieving homeowners struggling with mortgages bigger than their home's value.

Home repairs: Which jobs come first?
Lean times call for budgetary triage. But while you should clearly opt for orthodontics before Disneyland, the choice is tougher when it comes to home maintenance.

Mortgage rates hit another new low
Just one day after President Obama detailed a proposal to enable millions of homeowners to refinance to record-low mortgage rates, those rates notched another record.

Obama proposes new home loan refinancing plan
The Obama administration on Wednesday detailed its latest plan to help millions of homeowners refinance their mortgages to today's historically-low rates.

Top 10 turnaround towns
Florida's cities were some of the hardest hit by the housing bust, but now they are leading the charge back. Of Realtor.com's top 10 turnaround towns, eight are in the Sunshine State.

Don't rush into REITs
You'd think that investors would be leery of companies that own and manage commercial real estate. Vacancy rates remain elevated in office buildings and shopping centers. Except for apartment buildings, rents really haven't grown at all in four years. And given the possibility that the global economy may retrench yet again, things could still get worse before they get better.

REITs to avoid
Investors are racing into REITs that promise higher yields than equity REITs. But be forewarned, the higher yields of these other types of real estate vehicles come with very real risks.

Housing: The one bailout America could really use
Laurie Goodman is an apolitical number cruncher who has spent most of her 28-year career out of the public view, studying the minutiae of mortgage-backed securities (MBS) for big investment banks. She's long been a star among Wall Street insiders, however. She holds the record for the most top rankings for fixed-in-come research from the trade bible Institutional Investor.

Become your kid's mortgage lender
Between slumping prices and low mortgage rates, it's a good time to look for real estate bargains. But thanks to tightened lending standards, legions of young would-be homebuyers aren't exactly in a position to take advantage of the opportunity. That's where their parents come in: One in three first-time buyers received either a gift or a loan from their families to help buy a home in 2011, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Home prices post steep decline
Home prices posted a steep, month-over-month drop in November, falling 1.3%, according to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city report. Prices fell in 19 of the 20 cities the index covers.

The housing recovery that wasn't
FORTUNE -- Over the past few months, a spate of good news about the U.S. housing market has led some to think a recovery is finally on the horizon.

Mortgage probe unveiled as foreclosure talks loom
President Obama's latest probe into the mortgage meltdown will have more power than past efforts, and federal officials say it won't derail a possible $20 billion settlement for underwater and foreclosed homeowners.

Obama expands foreclosure prevention program
The Obama administration is taking another swing at improving its main foreclosure prevention program.

New-home sales hit a record low
Just 302,000 new homes were sold in 2011, 6.2% below 2010 and the lowest number of annual sales since the government started tracking home sales in 1963.

Romney's real estate deals
Out of all of the presidential candidates, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney owns the most real estate -- even after unloading a couple of sizable properties.

Foreclosures made up 20% of home sales in 3Q
Sales of homes in foreclosure comprised 20% of all U.S. residential sales during the third quarter, according to RealtyTrac.

Mortgage crimes are focus of new task force
A new special task force to investigate and prosecute those responsible for bad mortgages during the housing boom will be part of President Obama's 2012 agenda.

Has Obama's housing policy failed?
President Obama is expected to once again offer ways to help the beleaguered housing market in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night.

GOP cribs: Where the candidates live
It may not be 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., but the presidential candidates reside in some pretty nice digs. Here's a look at where they live -- at least, for now.

Foreclosures fall to lowest level since 2007
Foreclosure filings and repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007 last year.

High-yield mortgage REITs: Too good to be true?
As bond, CD, and money market interest rates remain mired at rock-bottom levels, investors continue their quest for dividends. One category offers eye-popping yields: mortgage real estate investment trusts, or mREITs (which are required to pass most of their income to shareholders via dividends). Chimera Investment and American Capital Agency each yield more than 19%. And the largest mREIT, Annaly Capital Management -- which we've recommended before -- offers a 15% payout. Are these returns too good to be true?

Turning foreclosures into rentals
Federal officials hope to launch a pilot program in early 2012 to convert government-owned foreclosures into rental properties.

Fannie Mae CEO to resign
Fannie Mae CEO Michael Williams plans to resign, the government-controlled mortgage giant said Tuesday. Williams, who took over as president and CEO of the troubled company in 2009, will continue as CEO until Fannie Mae's board names a successor. The firm did not provide a specific reason for Williams' departure; in a statement, Williams said only that he had decided that the time is right to turn over the reins to a new leader. Williams will leave behind a firm still struggling to get its finances in order. In November, Fannie Mae reported a net third-quarter loss of $5.1 billion. The loss forced the firm to ask for another $7.8 billion in funding from the Treasury Department, a request that took its bailout total to $112.6 billion. Federal regulators put Fannie Mae and fellow government-sponsored enterprise Freddie Mac into conservatorship during the financial meltdown in September 2008. The sister companies now depend on government help to cover losses on the mortgages they own or guarantee. In October, Freddie Mac CEO Ed Haldeman also announced plans to step down at some point this year. Williams and Haldeman have faced scrutiny in recent months for their hefty paychecks, granted even as their firms rely on taxpayer support. The targets for their 2011 pay, which will include deferred compensation, are set at about $6 million a piece. In December, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged six former executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including former Fannie CEO Daniel Mudd and former Freddie chief Richard Syron with securities fraud. The SEC alleges that the executives misrepresented the firms' holdings of high-risk mortgage loans ahead of the financial crisis.

Washington, D.C. leads U.S. in attracting new residents
Among those who moved last year, the nation's capital was once again the most popular destination.

Manhattan home prices fall in final months of 2011
Despite a number of multi-million dollar home sales, including a record-setting $88 million penthouse deal in December, Manhattan real estate prices fell significantly during the final months of 2011.

Bailout concerns mounting for federal housing agency
Concerns are growing that the Federal Housing Administration will need to be bailed out by taxpayers.

Foreclosure free ride
Delinquent borrowers facing foreclosure are learning that they can stay in their homes for years, as long as they're willing to put up a fight.

FHA says: Flip that house
Flippers, the real estate investors who buy homes on the cheap and quickly resell them at a profit, just got a reprieve from the Federal Housing Administration.

Home prices down for 6th straight month
Housing markets, which had seemed to be slowly gathering strength earlier this year, fell for the sixth straight month in October, down 1.2% compared with September and 3.4% from 12 months earlier.

New home sales edge up
The modest housing market winning streak continued as the Census Bureau reported Friday that sales of new homes rose again in November to an annualized rate of 315,000.

Mortgage rates hit another record low
Happy holidays, homebuyers! You just got a very nice present.

Home sales worse than thought
Existing home sales during the housing bust were actually 14.3% worse than previously reported, a revision to Realtors' group numbers shows.

Foreclosure sales still pummeling home prices
Nearly five years into the crisis, just how badly are foreclosures still hurting the housing market?

Home building spikes higher
Home building spiked up in November to the strongest level in almost two years, as record-low mortgage rates and a surge in apartment and condo construction lifted activity.

Fannie and Freddie must go - here's how
Richard M. Kovacevich is the retired Chairman & CEO of Wells Fargo. William M. Isaac is Global Head of Financial Institutions at FTI Consulting and former Chairman of the FDIC. The views expressed are their own.

Mortgage rates fall to record lows
Mortgage rates sunk to record lows again this week.

High-yield mortgage REITs: Too good to be true?
As bond, CD, and money market interest rates remain mired at rock-bottom levels, investors continue their quest for dividends. One category offers eye-popping yields: mortgage real estate investment trusts, or mREITs (which are required to pass most of their income to shareholders via dividends). Chimera Investment and American Capital Agency each yield more than 19%. And the largest mREIT, Annaly Capital Management -- which we've recommended before -- offers a 15% payout. Are these returns too good to be true?

Turning foreclosures into rentals
Federal officials hope to launch a pilot program in early 2012 to convert government-owned foreclosures into rental properties.

Fannie Mae CEO to resign
Fannie Mae CEO Michael Williams plans to resign, the government-controlled mortgage giant said Tuesday. Williams, who took over as president and CEO of the troubled company in 2009, will continue as CEO until Fannie Mae's board names a successor. The firm did not provide a specific reason for Williams' departure; in a statement, Williams said only that he had decided that the time is right to turn over the reins to a new leader. Williams will leave behind a firm still struggling to get its finances in order. In November, Fannie Mae reported a net third-quarter loss of $5.1 billion. The loss forced the firm to ask for another $7.8 billion in funding from the Treasury Department, a request that took its bailout total to $112.6 billion. Federal regulators put Fannie Mae and fellow government-sponsored enterprise Freddie Mac into conservatorship during the financial meltdown in September 2008. The sister companies now depend on government help to cover losses on the mortgages they own or guarantee. In October, Freddie Mac CEO Ed Haldeman also announced plans to step down at some point this year. Williams and Haldeman have faced scrutiny in recent months for their hefty paychecks, granted even as their firms rely on taxpayer support. The targets for their 2011 pay, which will include deferred compensation, are set at about $6 million a piece. In December, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged six former executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including former Fannie CEO Daniel Mudd and former Freddie chief Richard Syron with securities fraud. The SEC alleges that the executives misrepresented the firms' holdings of high-risk mortgage loans ahead of the financial crisis.

Washington, D.C. leads U.S. in attracting new residents
Among those who moved last year, the nation's capital was once again the most popular destination.

Manhattan home prices fall in final months of 2011
Despite a number of multi-million dollar home sales, including a record-setting $88 million penthouse deal in December, Manhattan real estate prices fell significantly during the final months of 2011.

Bailout concerns mounting for federal housing agency
Concerns are growing that the Federal Housing Administration will need to be bailed out by taxpayers.

Foreclosure free ride
Delinquent borrowers facing foreclosure are learning that they can stay in their homes for years, as long as they're willing to put up a fight.

FHA says: Flip that house
Flippers, the real estate investors who buy homes on the cheap and quickly resell them at a profit, just got a reprieve from the Federal Housing Administration.

Home prices down for 6th straight month
Housing markets, which had seemed to be slowly gathering strength earlier this year, fell for the sixth straight month in October, down 1.2% compared with September and 3.4% from 12 months earlier.

New home sales edge up
The modest housing market winning streak continued as the Census Bureau reported Friday that sales of new homes rose again in November to an annualized rate of 315,000.

Mortgage rates hit another record low
Happy holidays, homebuyers! You just got a very nice present.

Home sales worse than thought
Existing home sales during the housing bust were actually 14.3% worse than previously reported, a revision to Realtors' group numbers shows.

Foreclosure sales still pummeling home prices
Nearly five years into the crisis, just how badly are foreclosures still hurting the housing market?

Home building spikes higher
Home building spiked up in November to the strongest level in almost two years, as record-low mortgage rates and a surge in apartment and condo construction lifted activity.

Fannie and Freddie must go - here's how
Richard M. Kovacevich is the retired Chairman & CEO of Wells Fargo. William M. Isaac is Global Head of Financial Institutions at FTI Consulting and former Chairman of the FDIC. The views expressed are their own.

Mortgage rates fall to record lows
Mortgage rates sunk to record lows again this week.

SEC charges former execs of Fannie, Freddie
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged six former executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with securities fraud on Friday for misrepresenting their holdings of high-risk mortgage loans.

Foreclosures fall, but outlook isn't bright
Foreclosure filings may have fallen in November but the number of homes scheduled for bank auctions grew significantly, indicating that a new wave of foreclosures are set to take place in the New Year.

High-yield mortgage REITs: Too good to be true?
As bond, CD, and money market interest rates remain mired at rock-bottom levels, investors continue their quest for dividends. One category offers eye-popping yields: mortgage real estate investment trusts, or mREITs (which are required to pass most of their income to shareholders via dividends). Chimera Investment and American Capital Agency each yield more than 19%. And the largest mREIT, Annaly Capital Management -- which we've recommended before -- offers a 15% payout. Are these returns too good to be true?

Turning foreclosures into rentals
Federal officials hope to launch a pilot program in early 2012 to convert government-owned foreclosures into rental properties.

Fannie Mae CEO to resign
Fannie Mae CEO Michael Williams plans to resign, the government-controlled mortgage giant said Tuesday. Williams, who took over as president and CEO of the troubled company in 2009, will continue as CEO until Fannie Mae's board names a successor. The firm did not provide a specific reason for Williams' departure; in a statement, Williams said only that he had decided that the time is right to turn over the reins to a new leader. Williams will leave behind a firm still struggling to get its finances in order. In November, Fannie Mae reported a net third-quarter loss of $5.1 billion. The loss forced the firm to ask for another $7.8 billion in funding from the Treasury Department, a request that took its bailout total to $112.6 billion. Federal regulators put Fannie Mae and fellow government-sponsored enterprise Freddie Mac into conservatorship during the financial meltdown in September 2008. The sister companies now depend on government help to cover losses on the mortgages they own or guarantee. In October, Freddie Mac CEO Ed Haldeman also announced plans to step down at some point this year. Williams and Haldeman have faced scrutiny in recent months for their hefty paychecks, granted even as their firms rely on taxpayer support. The targets for their 2011 pay, which will include deferred compensation, are set at about $6 million a piece. In December, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged six former executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, including former Fannie CEO Daniel Mudd and former Freddie chief Richard Syron with securities fraud. The SEC alleges that the executives misrepresented the firms' holdings of high-risk mortgage loans ahead of the financial crisis.

Washington, D.C. leads U.S. in attracting new residents
Among those who moved last year, the nation's capital was once again the most popular destination.

Manhattan home prices fall in final months of 2011
Despite a number of multi-million dollar home sales, including a record-setting $88 million penthouse deal in December, Manhattan real estate prices fell significantly during the final months of 2011.

Bailout concerns mounting for federal housing agency
Concerns are growing that the Federal Housing Administration will need to be bailed out by taxpayers.

Foreclosure free ride
Delinquent borrowers facing foreclosure are learning that they can stay in their homes for years, as long as they're willing to put up a fight.

FHA says: Flip that house
Flippers, the real estate investors who buy homes on the cheap and quickly resell them at a profit, just got a reprieve from the Federal Housing Administration.

Home prices down for 6th straight month
Housing markets, which had seemed to be slowly gathering strength earlier this year, fell for the sixth straight month in October, down 1.2% compared with September and 3.4% from 12 months earlier.

New home sales edge up
The modest housing market winning streak continued as the Census Bureau reported Friday that sales of new homes rose again in November to an annualized rate of 315,000.

Mortgage rates hit another record low
Happy holidays, homebuyers! You just got a very nice present.

Home sales worse than thought
Existing home sales during the housing bust were actually 14.3% worse than previously reported, a revision to Realtors' group numbers shows.

Foreclosure sales still pummeling home prices
Nearly five years into the crisis, just how badly are foreclosures still hurting the housing market?

Home building spikes higher
Home building spiked up in November to the strongest level in almost two years, as record-low mortgage rates and a surge in apartment and condo construction lifted activity.

Fannie and Freddie must go - here's how
Richard M. Kovacevich is the retired Chairman & CEO of Wells Fargo. William M. Isaac is Global Head of Financial Institutions at FTI Consulting and former Chairman of the FDIC. The views expressed are their own.

Mortgage rates fall to record lows
Mortgage rates sunk to record lows again this week.

SEC charges former execs of Fannie, Freddie
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged six former executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with securities fraud on Friday for misrepresenting their holdings of high-risk mortgage loans.

Foreclosures fall, but outlook isn't bright
Foreclosure filings may have fallen in November but the number of homes scheduled for bank auctions grew significantly, indicating that a new wave of foreclosures are set to take place in the New Year.

Mortgage rates keep falling: 30-year nears record
Just when it seemed mortgage rates weren't going to get any lower, they started testing new lows.

Foreclosures fall for 10th straight month
Foreclosure filings dropped once again in July, hitting their lowest level since November 2007, as processing delays and foreclosure prevention measures enabled a larger number of delinquent borrowers to remain in their homes.

Home prices take another dip
Housing markets struggled through another tough quarter, this time during the spring buying season, the strongest time of year for home sellers.

Find the best pro for your paint job
Done right, an exterior paint job is a smart investment: It will protect your home from the elements, help defer costly repair work, preserve your property value, and add curb appeal. Plus, if your existing paint is peeling, cracking, or bubbling, delaying the job will only cost you more.

Housing recovery slips out of sight
Any glimmer of hope that the housing market will stage a recovery in the upcoming months has vanished, thanks to the recent spate of bad economic news that has been making headlines over the past several weeks.

Protect your home (and finances) from disaster
The season for natural disasters, it seems, is now year-round. Floods and a record number of tornadoes have already caused billions of dollars of property damage across the nation in 2011. Come fall, forecasters expect an unusually active hurricane season. Moreover, experts believe crazy weather is here to stay.

What downgrade means for your mortgage
At least one fear was not realized amid Monday's meltdown: the concern that mortgage rates would immediately shoot higher in response to Standard & Poor's downgrade of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored entities that are the 800-pound gorillas of the mortgage market.

Home ownership hits lowest level since 1965
As the foreclosure crisis continues to wreak havoc on the housing market, a source of national pride has taken a sour turn. Home ownership is on the decline and, according to a recent Morgan Stanley report, the United States is fast becoming a nation of renters.

Mortgage rates plunge
As Congress and President Obama hammered out a debt deal over the past week, mortgage rates plunged, flirting with new lows in some instances.

Responsible homeowners left out in the cold
Borrowers who have good credit and make their payments on time are being told that the only way they can refinance is if they start defaulting on payments.

Foreclosures fall in most U.S. cities
Foreclosures declined in more than 84% of U.S. metro areas during the first half of the year, according to the latest report from RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed properties. But that doesn't mean these markets are staging a turnaround.

Home prices dip 4.5%
May home prices in 20 major cities dipped 4.5% from one year ago, marking a continued decline in the already battered housing market.

New home sales slip again in June
Sales of new single-family homes slipped for a second month in a row in June, falling short of estimates.

Countrywide borrowers to get $108 million in refunds
The FTC said nearly half a million consumers who were overcharged for services and fees by the mortgage lender will receive refund checks.

America's ugliest homes
HomeVestors, the company that buys beat-up homes, fixes them up and resells them, is looking for the nation's ugliest home. Here are six candidates.

Zillow shares pop in IPO
Shares of real estate site Zillow shot up 120% early in its public debut Wednesday, though they cooled a bit as the day continued.

Existing home sales dip in June
Sales of existing homes dipped in June as buyers unexpectedly backed out of contracts, according to the Realtors group.

Short sale fraud plagues housing market
Scammers are ripping off mortgage lenders by tens of thousands of dollars -- sometimes in a matter of hours.

Foreclosures fall in most U.S. cities
Foreclosures declined in more than 84% of U.S. metro areas during the first half of the year, according to the latest report from RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed properties. But that doesn't mean these markets are staging a turnaround.

Home prices dip 4.5%
May home prices in 20 major cities dipped 4.5% from one year ago, marking a continued decline in the already battered housing market.

New home sales slip again in June
Sales of new single-family homes slipped for a second month in a row in June, falling short of estimates.

Countrywide borrowers to get $108 million in refunds
The FTC said nearly half a million consumers who were overcharged for services and fees by the mortgage lender will receive refund checks.

America's ugliest homes
HomeVestors, the company that buys beat-up homes, fixes them up and resells them, is looking for the nation's ugliest home. Here are six candidates.

Zillow shares pop in IPO
Shares of real estate site Zillow shot up 120% early in its public debut Wednesday, though they cooled a bit as the day continued.

Existing home sales dip in June
Sales of existing homes dipped in June as buyers unexpectedly backed out of contracts, according to the Realtors group.

Short sale fraud plagues housing market
Scammers are ripping off mortgage lenders by tens of thousands of dollars -- sometimes in a matter of hours.

Formula 1 heiress buys Spelling mansion for $85 million
One of the most expensive homes of all time, the 56,500-square foot Spelling Manor, sold for a very steep discount Thursday -- $85 million -- or 43% off the original asking price.

False hopes for the housing market
RealtyTrac's latest data shows a 29% drop in foreclosure filings, but the housing market is far from staging a recovery.

10 best cities to buy a rental property
Low home prices and relatively strong rents are expected to make real estate investors in these cities some healthy profits over the next few years.

Seinfeld asks $18 million for Colorado mansion
The comedian put his 14,200-square foot Telluride, Colo. vacation home on the market.

Obama's housing scorecard
The Obama administration has announced yet another initiative to help struggling homeowners avoid foreclosure.

Getting a mortgage with so-so credit
Getting a mortgage can be tough these days -- even people with near-perfect credit have been rejected for loans. But for some lucky borrowers, things aren't as bad as the doom-and-gloom crowd says.

Average home price in Manhattan: $1.4 million
High-end buyers came to Manhattan to spend money during the second quarter, helping to lift average prices for homes.

Home prices rise, snapping 8-month drop streak
The downward cycle in home prices broke in April after eight consecutive months of decline, according to a survey released Tuesday.