Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• 30-year mortgage rate falls to record 3.78%

  May 24, 2012 in Business, Nation/World The average U.S. rate for the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to a record low for a fourth straight week. Cheap mortgages have helped boost home sales modestly this year. 2

• US sales of new homes rose 3.3 percent in April

  May 23, 2012 in Nation/World WASHINGTON — Americans bought more new homes in April, the latest signal that the U.S. housing market is steadily improving.

• Builder confidence at highest level in 5 years

  May 15, 2012 in Business Confidence among U.S. builders rose to the highest level in five years in May, a hopeful sign that modest improvement in the housing market will pick up.

• Spokane home sales up 25 percent, prices off 2.8 percent

  May 10, 2012 in Business on Page A10 Sales of existing homes in Spokane surged in the first three months of the year, while prices fell. Sales were up 25 percent over the last quarter of 2011 and …

• Rebuilding Together serves elderly, poor and disabled

  May 6, 2012 in Business on Page E2 Nearly two decades ago, I watched a Rebuilding Together team complete a dream come true for an elderly woman, then 98. All she wanted was a stack-style washer and dryer … 2

• Real-estate appraiser banks on reputation, experience

  April 29, 2012 in Business on Page E1 Sam P. Wood’s career has revolved around the local real-estate market for more than two decades, first as an agent and, since 1996, also as an appraiser. But his exposure … 1

• Home sales across nation best in five years

  March 22, 2012 in Business on Page A7 WASHINGTON – Sales of existing homes fell 0.9 percent in February after an upward revision to the prior month, but improving job prospects, cheaper homes and warm weather led to … 1

• Obama: Diplomacy can stop Iran from getting bomb

  March 6, 2012 in Nation/World WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama declared today that diplomacy can still resolve the crisis over Iran’s possible pursuit of nuclear weapons, and he accused his Republican critics of “beating the … 28

• Spokane home sales on rise; prices declining

  February 9, 2012 in Business on Page A7 Over the past seven months, Spokane County home sales have been increasing compared to the year before, indicating the area may have made the first step toward a housing rebound. …

• Housing market moves toward gains

  January 8, 2012 in Business on Page E5 HACKENSACK, N.J. – The housing market – staggering under a slow economy and still paying for the excesses of the boom years – may start to stir to life in …

• Kelly: Housing stabilization seems to be moving target

  January 1, 2012 in Business on Page E2 The most popular question since the mortgage meltdown and subsequent dive in home prices has changed in the past 12 months. It has evolved from “where’s the bottom?” to “what’s …

• New-home sales up in Nov. but 2011 figures dismal

  December 23, 2011 in Business, Nation/World Americans bought slightly more new homes in November, but 2011 will likely end up as the worst year for sales in history.

• Rise in home building suggests industry turnaround

  December 20, 2011 in Business, Nation/World A surge in apartment construction gave home builders more work in November. And permits, a gauge of future construction, rose largely because of a jump in apartment permits. Some analysts …

• Area home sale prices continue to decline

  December 7, 2011 in Business, City Average home sales prices in Spokane fell by 4.1 percent in October, in line with national and regional declines driven in part by foreclosures and high unemployment. The Spokane sales … 5

• Council considers rezoning, sale of vacant N. Monroe property

  December 5, 2011 in City on Page A1 Neighbors of vacant ground viewed daily by thousands of motorists in north Spokane are worried about what the city may do with the two acres that include a significant bluff … 14

• Survey: Home prices down in most major U.S. cities

  November 29, 2011 in Business U.S. home prices are falling again in most major cities after posting small gains over the summer and spring. The report suggests the troubled housing market remains weak and won’t … 4

• Use the winter housing market to your advantage

  November 13, 2011 in Business on Page E1 Just your luck — you have to sell your home in winter, the slowest and dreariest sales season of all. But cheer up. You can use staging, the reduced competition …

• New-home sales tick up as builders slash prices

  October 26, 2011 in Business, Nation/World Sales of new homes rose in September after four straight monthly declines, largely because builders cut their prices in the face of depressed demand.

• Spring buying boosts home prices for 4th month

  September 27, 2011 in Nation/World, Region Home prices rose for a fourth straight month in most major U.S. cities in July, buoyed by the peak buying season. But the housing market remains depressed, and prices are … 1

• Rate on 30-year mortgage falls to record 4.09%

  September 15, 2011 in Business, Nation/World Fixed mortgage rates fell to the lowest level in six decades for the second straight week. But few Americans can take advantage of the historically low rates.

• Feds sue biggest U.S. banks over risky mortgages

  September 2, 2011 in Business, Nation/World The government has sued the nation’s largest banks, along with a handful of other financial institutions and executives, for violating federal and state laws in the sale of home mortgage-backed … 18

• Lawyers, call centers accused of scam in bank suits

  August 18, 2011 in Business, Nation/World California prosecutors filed a major lawsuit against several lawyers and call center operators for allegedly running a nationwide scam to dupe desperate homeowners into paying thousands of dollars to join … 4

• Home sales nationwide drop to low for year

  August 18, 2011 in Business, Nation/World The number of people who bought previously occupied homes plunged in July. The third decline in four months suggests the depressed housing market won’t help the U.S. economy recover this … 6

• Mortgage rates fall to near-record lows

  August 11, 2011 in Business Fixed mortgage rates fell to at or near record lows. That’s good news for the few who can afford to buy a home or are able to refinance. But the … 6

• Spokane remains hotbed of affordable home prices

  June 26, 2011 in Business on Page E4 A new survey of home listing prices ranks Spanaway second only to Spokane in Washington for low home prices. The survey by real estate firm Coldwell Banker said the average …

• First-time home buyers face tough competition

  June 19, 2011 in Business on Page E2 First-time home buyers are critical to the housing industry. Once they get in the door, this enables the former first-timer to move up. In a nutshell, first-time buyers help to …

• Home-price index at lowest point since 2006 bust

  May 31, 2011 in Business, Nation/World Home prices in major areas have reached their lowest level since the housing bubble burst in 2006, driven down by foreclosures, a glut of unsold homes and the reluctance or … 12

• New home sales fall further

  March 24, 2011 in Business on Page A7 WASHINGTON – Home construction in the United States is all but coming to a halt. Americans are on track to buy fewer new homes than in any year since the … 4

• Old consumer loan method applied to home mortgage

  January 30, 2011 in Business on Page E2 Refinancing continues to be a hot topic. Many homeowners who are planning to stay in their homes for the long term are trying to find ways to lock in record …

• Home prices fall in major U.S. cities

  January 25, 2011 in Business, Nation/World Home prices are falling across most of America’s largest cities, and average prices in eight major markets have hit their lowest point since the housing bust. 9

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• Next page ›