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The latest news about real estate, home equity, home ownership and home insurance from our Bankrate experts.

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“There’s no dismissing the fact that housing affordability continues to be a major pain point for Americans.”

– Mark Hamrick

Housing Affordability in 2025: With home prices rising ever higher, inventory still too low and mortgage rates remaining stubbornly elevated, it’s a very challenging time to be a homebuyer.

The housing market can be significantly impacted by outside economic forces, including Federal Reserve moves and inflation. In fact, the shelter category of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation, shows that housing costs have been an outsized contributor to overall inflation in the U.S.
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Chief Financial Analyst

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Principal Writer, Home Lending

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Writer, Home lending

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Latest Real Estate & Home Lending News

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Home equity rates barely budged heading into the final Federal Reserve meeting of 2025. The $30,000 home equity line of credit was unchanged, holding at 7.81% for the fourth straight week, according to [...]
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Mortgage rates dropped a bit lower this week in anticipation of another Fed cut.
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Bankrate analysts and others weigh in on what to expect for mortgage rates in December.
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There was minimal movement for home equity rates this Thanksgiving week.
A house on a stack of money
Mortgage rates dropped a bit lower this week.
house balanced on stack of coins, pink background, photo illustration
Home equity rates are holding steady at lows not seen since 2023.
A house on a stack of money
Mortgage rates jumped up this week.
A house on a stack of money
Mortgage rates edged back down a bit lower this week.
Banking_How-the-Fed-Rate-Affects-Housing_
The Fed has again hit the pause button on rates. How will it affect the housing market?
A row of an newly-constructed arts and crafts/bungalow-style homes.
Some days it feels like the housing market is suffering from a hangover. The rush to increase supply has led to more new construction available. Meanwhile, the recent swing in mortgage rates has led to [...]
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U.S. home prices have been rising for 24 straight months — when will it end?
A deeper look at large real estate investors and their impact on the housing market.
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The housing market in Q3 2025 is unlikely to bring lower home prices.
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When I bought my “dream” home, I thought I’d made it. A four-bedroom house in an established neighborhood that I fully paid off before I turned 35 — the American dream, right? But a few years later, [...]
What’s the average home size in the U.S., and how has it evolved?
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While he was taking out the garbage one night, Eli saw his neighbor loading up a moving truck. (Bankrate is not disclosing Eli’s last name for privacy reasons.) His neighbor’s lease was up, but the [...]
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Home insurance takes center stage in real estate deals.
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Extreme weather puts more than a quarter of all U.S. homes at risk.
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These deductibles are calculated as a percentage of your coverage limit.
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Insurance companies may be taking advantage of states with limited regulation.
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Bankrate explores what dorm insurance is and if your student needs it.
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Understanding how coinsurance works can help you avoid unexpected expenses and confirm that your coverage meets your needs.
house balanced on stack of coins, pink background, photo illustration
Home equity rates barely budged heading into the final Federal Reserve meeting of 2025. The $30,000 home equity line of credit was unchanged, holding at 7.81% for the fourth straight week, according to [...]
house balanced on stack of coins, pink background, photo illustration
There was minimal movement for home equity rates this Thanksgiving week.
house balanced on stack of coins, pink background, photo illustration
Home equity rates are holding steady at lows not seen since 2023.
house balanced on stack of coins, pink background, photo illustration
Home equity rates have now dipped to levels not seen since 2023.
photo illustration - house balanced on stack of coins - pink background
Home equity line of credit (HELOC) rates have dipped to levels not seen since March 2023. The $30,000 home equity line of credit fell eight basis points to 7.82%, according to Bankrate’s national survey [...]
If you’re looking at HE loans or have a variable-rate line of credit, pay attention to the Fed.
Here’s what’s happening with home equity rates this week.
Here’s what’s happening with home equity rates this week.