Author: badmortgage

From left, brokers/owners Paula Price, Kajun Morris and Magali Marquez pose for a photo at their business No Limits Real Estate in Marshalltown recently. PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY MARSHALLTOWN – With 58 years of combined experience, the three REALTORS ® at No Limits Real Estate in Marshalltown pledge to do just that – have no limits in serving their clients. In a recent interview at their offices at 207 E. Church St. Suite 104, Marshalltown, the trio of Magali Marquez, Kajun Morris, and Paula Price said they assist clients in the buying and selling of real…

The average 30-year mortgage rate rose to 6.46% from 6.38% last week, while costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages increased to 5.77% from 5.75%.WASHINGTON — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed for the fifth straight week, reaching its highest level in nearly seven months, another setback for home shoppers in the midst of the spring homebuying season. The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.46% from 6.38% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.64%. The last time the average rate was higher was Sept. 4, when it was at 6.5%.…

Currently, home equity rates remain close to three-year lows. That’s the case for adjustable-rate HELOCs as well as for fixed-rate home equity loans. With the get-outdoors season approaching, you can use the cash for just about anything — at the lowest rates in years. According to real estate analytics firm Curinos, the average HELOC adjustable rate is 7.20%. The 52-week HELOC low was 7.19% in mid-January. The national average fixed rate on a home equity loan is 7.47%. The low was 7.38% in early December 2025. Rates are based on applicants with a minimum credit score of 780 and a…

Mortgage rates rose to the highest level since September, the fifth straight weekly increase. The average rate on the standard 30-year fixed mortgage climbed to 6.46%, up from [6.38% last week](https://www.wsj.com/economy/housing/mortgage-rates-rise-for-fourth-straight-week-e8bdd447?mod=author_cont

Randy Thunfors and Susan Calkins of Stone House Properties offer serenity, privacy, and beautiful country living in a gorgeous 21-acre estate in a great location. Designer Sue Schwarz advises whether to upholster or buy new. A column on “Building Community.” A report on real estate sales in the fourth quarter of 2025. Plus, recent sales and gardening columns and a home-cooking recipe.

On any given Thursday, there’s a decent enough chance that the average mortgage rate headline will be unintentionally misleading. At issue is media reliance on the longstanding weekly mortgage rate surveys. If news stories are going to cite this data, that’s fine, but it’s critical to understand the methodology. Whether it’s MBA (reported yesterday) or Freddie Mac (reported today), the weekly surveys have an inherent reporting lag–that is, they are published at least a day after data collection ends. In addition, they represent an average of 5 business days.  This means that the weekly mortgage rate would be reported as…

The civil rights leader noted that Black and Hispanic consumers are more likely to use buy now, pay later loans and urged state AGs to expand their inquiry.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A former farmer was sentenced to six months in federal prison after pleading guilty to making a false statement to a financial institution.Mashon Van Mill, 41, from Shell Rock, was sentenced on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa. He pleaded guilty on October 15, 2025.In the plea agreement, Van Mill said he had lied to a bank he had been with for two years. He applied to a $1 million line of credit, and claimed for collateral that he had over $2 million worth of corn in storage when…

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed for the fifth straight week, reaching its highest level in nearly seven months, another setback for home shoppers in the midst of the spring homebuying season.The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.46% from 6.38% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.64%.The last time the average rate was higher was Sept. 4, when it was at 6.5%.When mortgage rates rise, they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for home shoppers, limiting what they can afford to buy.Only five weeks ago,…

FOX Business real estate contributor Katrina Campins breaks down shifting house pricing trends and mortgage rate volatility on ‘Varney & Co.’