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Andresr | E+ | Getty Images The Federal Reserve is poised to make its first interest rate cut in years on Wednesday. But homeowners shouldn’t bet on the move as an opportunity to immediately refinance their mortgage. That’s because “a lot of these rate cuts are already priced in,” Chen Zhao, the economic research lead

Chris Wattie | Reuters The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday it will lower its benchmark rate bya half percentage point, or 50 basis points, paving the way for relief from the high borrowing costs that have hit consumers particularly hard.  The federal funds rate, which is set by the U.S. central bank, is the interest rate

Shu Matsuo Post, 38, built a $2 million real estate portfolio, according to documents seen by CNBC Make It. Courtesy of Shu Matsuo Post The idea of financial independence can mean different things to different people, but one common way to define it is having enough money that you no longer need to rely on

MISSOULA, Mont. — In a subdivision near the northern edge of town, a number of condos and duplexes have popped up in the past three years. It’s part of a larger effort, including new zoning laws, to help provide affordable housing to Montanans who have found themselves priced out of the market, said DJ Smith,

Recent signs of cooling inflation are paving the way for the Federal Reserve to cut rates when it meets next week, which is welcome news for Americans struggling to keep up with the elevated cost of living and sky-high interest charges. “Consumers should feel good about [an interest rate reduction] but it’s not going to

People walk along London Bridge past the City of London skyline. Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images LONDON — The U.K. is leading a recovery in Europe’s long subdued office real estate market, with overall investment in the sector expected to pick up further in the second half of the year. Britain recorded 4.1

We started buying Home Depot shares last week as a play on housing and interest rates. Our initial 50-share buy was around $362. We bought 50 more shares Wednesday a few dollars higher. The Dow stock is having a mixed year — up about 7% compared to the S & P 500 ‘s more than

Rgstudio | E+ | Getty Images Owning a home makes some people feel more confident about their prospects for retirement — but that may be misguided, some experts say. About 37% of polled workers — including those with part- or full-time jobs, or who are self-employed or business owners — say they are “ahead of

LARKSPUR, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 30: A sign is posted in front of a home for sale on November 30, 2023 in Larkspur, California. According to a report by the National Association of Realtors, pending home sales fell 1.5 percent in October to their lowest level in 20 years. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Justin Sullivan

Thanks to the run up in housing prices, homeowners now have more than $32 trillion in home equity as of the first quarter of 2024, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve — an all-time high. “It’s one of the very few things we can say about today’s housing market that is, more or less, positive,” said

Grace Cary | Moment | Getty Images Inflation continued to throttle back in August, signaling that the fast-rising prices that plagued the U.S. economy for the better part of the three years during the pandemic era are increasingly shifting into the rearview mirror. Overall inflationary pressures are “dissipating,” said Sarah House, senior economist at Wells

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Dubai’s property scene is showing no sign of cooling off, as 2024 is on track to be another record year in terms of sales figures and property values, according to local real estate firms. Increasing demand for property, especially in the luxury space, is boosting prices not just of homes,

Tarpon Island, a private island in Palm Beach, Florida, sold for $150 million in May 2024. CNBC A version of this article first appeared in CNBC’s Inside Wealth newsletter with Robert Frank, a weekly guide to the high-net-worth investor and consumer. Sign up to receive future editions, straight to your inbox. Sales of ultra-luxury homes surged in

For months, economists have wrestled with the disconnect between how well the economy is doing and how badly people feel about their financial standing. Now, evidence suggests that the so-called “vibecession,” or that prolonged period of negative sentiment about the economy, appears to be ending, according to Michael Pearce, deputy chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics.  As inflation cools