Existing home sales slowed in March, down 3.6% as higher mortgage rates and low inventory weigh on the market.

Activity isn’t zero—but with rates around 6.5%, buyers need to be strategic. Shopping around for a mortgage rate still matters.

YIMBYism Gains Ground: How 3 States Are Addressing The Housing Shortage | Bankrate More communities are saying "Yes, in my backyard" as local municipalities look to ease the housing shortage.

The “starter home” didn’t disappear—it got harder to build.

In many parts of the U.S., the path to building smaller, more affordable homes has narrowed over time. https://bit.ly/4teJzRG

Homebuying in America: The lending process "was probably the biggest headache” | Bankrate When Jessica Lee bought her townhome, she borrowed from her builder's preferred lender. It ended up being a headache.

Buying a home isn’t just about finding the right place. For many buyers, the hardest part is navigating the lending process.

In today’s market, incentives and pressure can shape your decisions more than you expect. The key is knowing you have options. https://bit.ly/47rt500

Homeownership on hold: Long-term costs for young adults of color | Bankrate Student debt and rising costs are delaying homeownership for young adults of color, widening the wealth gap and impacting long-term financial futures.

Debt is reshaping the timeline to homeownership.

One aspiring buyer told Bankrate her $169K in student loans and $14K in credit card debt have delayed plans to buy, marry and start a family. https://bit.ly/4rTDcSm

How rising HOA fees can act like shadow mortgages | Bankrate HOA fees are rising fast, cutting buying power and risking foreclosure. Here’s how these “shadow mortgage” costs are reshaping home affordability.

Mortgage payments get the spotlight, but HOA fees can quietly reshape your housing costs.

Dues are rising, surprise assessments are more common and missed payments can put your home at risk.

Bankrate’s Linda Bell explains: https://bit.ly/3NtACoi

Mortgage rates are already moving. The Federal Reserve held rates steady, but mortgage rates are reacting to inflation concerns and global uncertainty and have started to climb. https://bit.ly/4rHz206

Yo-Yo Financing: The Shady Lending Tactic That Can Cost You Your Car Even If You Make Every Payment | Bankrate Marklyn Johnson drove to the grocery store in March 2025 with her boyfriend and 5-month-old son. They needed groceries, and welcomed a warm indoor diversion on a cold Connecticut winter day.  As they ...

Driving off the lot with a signed contract doesn’t always mean the deal is final.

A practice called “yo-yo financing” allows some dealerships to unwind a car sale days or weeks later. Bankrate’s Andrew Pentis examines how the legal tactic can leave buyers exposed. https://bit.ly/3P2ZiEt

How Predatory but Legal Auto Loans Are Systematically Taking Advantage of People with Subprime Credit | Bankrate This is a story about a predatory loan that can ensnare you in a matter of hours and lead to crushing debt — and perhaps wrecked credit — that can span years. It’s also a story about how it’s all perf...

Predatory auto loans are often perfectly legal.

A record number of drivers are upside down on their loans. Delinquencies are at a 15-year high. Repossessions have surged 43% since 2022.

Before you finance, focus on the APR, not just the monthly payment. https://bit.ly/40Ibz3T

The "frozen" housing market is thawing.

NAR reports Feb. home sales hit a 4.09M pace—beating expectations. Plus, Jan. numbers were revised UP to 4.02M.

While sales are still -1.4% YoY, the winter slump wasn't as cold as feared.

Affordability proposals can sound simple. The real impact usually isn’t.

From credit cards and mortgages to student loans and investing, we’re tracking Trump’s consumer finance proposals and breaking down what they could mean for household budgets and long-term costs. https://bit.ly/4kvxoMZ

Most couples don’t fully combine their finances. Just 38% of married or live-in couples say they completely merge their money, according to a new Bankrate survey. https://bit.ly/3ZlVlwB

44% of Americans say they have more emergency savings than credit card debt, according to a new Bankrate survey. But progress is slow: Just 21% say their savings grew over the past year, while nearly 3 in 10 still have more debt than savings. https://bit.ly/4qbVygF

Is financial infidelity as damaging as physical cheating? A new Bankrate survey found 43% of Americans say keeping money secrets from a partner is at least as bad. Nearly half of married/cohabitating couples are not sharing all of their financial details.
https://bit.ly/3LEGpXf

NEWS: The Fed left interest rates unchanged at its first meeting of the year, pausing after three straight rate cuts as policymakers grow more cautious. Read more: https://bit.ly/3Z5h3Vu

Insuring a new teen driver now costs over $5,700 a year. Adding a 16-year-old could potentially more than double the average auto insurance premium for their parents and costs more than insurance for a driver with a past accident or DUI conviction. https://bit.ly/4rbEnwz

Years of high prices are still straining household finances. Just 30% of Americans say they could cover a $1,000 emergency from savings, and 54% say inflation is cutting into their ability to save, per new data from Bankrate. Full report: https://bit.ly/4sUXzAG

Credit card debt is sticking around longer. A new Bankrate survey finds 61% of cardholders with debt have carried it for at least a year, with emergency and everyday expenses driving balances. https://bit.ly/4sCWkWA

After years of high borrowing costs, some relief may be ahead. Bankrate’s 2026 Interest Rate Forecast expects the Fed to keep cutting rates next year, though uncertainty remains. See what it means for your money: https://bit.ly/49IqAI0

Rare relief for drivers: Gas prices have fallen below $3 a gallon for the first time in four years and are expected to stay low into 2026. Read the full Bankrate analysis: https://bit.ly/3L4ZD7U

Fewer Americans are feeling optimistic about their finances heading into 2026.
Just one in three (34%) expect their situation to improve next year, down from 44% a year ago, according to a new Bankrate report. Read more: https://bit.ly/4pFYEu1

Bankrate Wrapped 2025: Your Year In Money | Bankrate This year, Bankrate helped readers to find trusted ways to save, borrow and thrive. Here are some of the most popular stories from this year, wrapped.

You turned to Bankrate for answers in 2025 — from the best rates to where to buy a home.
We tracked your top reads of the year. Here are the receipts. https://bit.ly/4q0TtEI

NEWS: The Fed voted to cut interest rates for the third straight meeting despite intensifying divisions over how to manage an economy with both higher inflation and unemployment.

More: https://bit.ly/48M1KoO

Homeownership has become a luxury in most major cities. A new Bankrate study finds the average household is priced out of 75% of the U.S. housing market, turning a dream into a luxury.

See where affordable homes are hardest to find: https://bit.ly/3Kl7MF5

Fewer Americans plan to give holiday tips this year, but those who are planning to do so aren’t cutting back on dollar amounts.

A new Bankrate survey finds median tip amounts are mostly flat or up across common service providers. https://bit.ly/4pciPiR

Bankrate's 2025 Emergency Savings Report | Bankrate A new Bankrate survey reveals more than half of Americans are uncomfortable with their emergency savings.

Higher earnings, not lower spending, are driving emergency savings growth this year.

According to Bankrate’s new survey, about 1 in 5 Americans have more emergency savings now than at the start of 2025 — and rising income is cited as the biggest reason why.
https://bit.ly/4oNrsjB

After decades of steady progress, the gender pay gap is once again widening for the first time in decades. Read Bankrate’s full analysis: https://t.co/SBKb3t1sQt https://t.co/pZd1FiFg1J

NEWS: The Fed cut interest rates again to keep the job market from weakening further, even as inflation stays high and the government shutdown drags on. www.bankrate.com/banking/federal-reserve/...

Bankrate's 2025 Retirement Savings Report | Bankrate As Social Security turns 90, retired and non-retired adults alike are growing more anxious about not receiving the benefits they were promised.

52% of non-retired Americans say they expect to rely on Social Security for necessary expenses – but 76% worry their promised benefits won’t be paid upon retirement age. Bankrate’s latest survey shows growing concern about retirement security. www.bankrate.com/retirement/r...

Bankrate's 2025 Holiday Spending Report | Bankrate Many Americans will start holiday shopping before Halloween and are concerned about rising prices. Learn how to save money this season.

Have you booked your holiday travel? According to a new Bankrate survey, just 21% of Americans plan to travel this holiday season, down from 27% in 2024. www.bankrate.com/credit-cards/news/holida...

Survey: 1 in 6 Aspiring Homeowners Have Given Up | Bankrate One in six aspiring homebuyers have given up on purchasing a home in the past five years because they could not find anything they liked or could afford, according to a new Bankrate survey.

Among aspiring homeowners, one in six (16%) have given up on purchasing a home in the past five years (i.e., since August 2020) because they could not find anything they liked or could afford, according to a new Bankrate survey. www.bankrate.com/mortgages/home-buying-ch...