WASHINGTON — Banks may be allowed to hold a smaller stake in the mortgage investments they sell if those loans are made to homebuyers with stronger finances. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the Federal Reserve and other agencies on Wednesday ...

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WASHINGTON — Fewer Americans signed contracts to buy U.S. homes in July, but the level stayed close to a 6 ½-year high. The modest decline suggests higher mortgage rates have yet to sharply slow sales. The National Association of Realtors ...

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WASHINGTON — U.S. developers broke ground on new homes at a faster pace in July. But the rise was all due to apartment construction, which is typically volatile. By contrast, builders began work on fewer single-family homes — the bulk ...

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WASHINGTON — Freddie Mac earned $5 billion from April through June, the seventh straight profitable quarter for the mortgage giant. The second-quarter gain reported Wednesday compares with net income of $3 billion in the same period of 2012. Freddie says ...

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AirPatrol Corp. chooses to remain in Howard County Howard County officials announced that AirPatrol Corp., a manufacturer of location-based security systems, will remain based in the county, but is moving and expanding its headquarters from Columbia to St. John Properties’ ...

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LOS ANGELES — Fewer U.S. homes entered the foreclosure process or were repossessed by banks in June, the latest sign that the nation is shaking off its housing bust hangover. Lenders initiated the foreclosure process on 57,286 homes last month, ...

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SECU, Maryland’s largest state-chartered financial cooperative, has again been named one of the Top 300 First Mortgage Granting Credit Unions in the country, according to an annual survey conducted by the American Credit Union Mortgage Association.

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With the exception of those fortunate few who can pay cash for a house, the ups and downs of the mortgage rates are an integral part of buying a home. Sometimes qualification standards are low, but interest rates are high; and other times, such as today, interest rates are low, but qualification standards are high.

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Whether you’re buying a house or selling a house, signing the contract is only the beginning of what can be a long and sometimes arduous journey to the settlement table. Normally, it all goes off without a hitch, and the typical real estate transaction can usually be completed in less than a month. But there are other times when the unexpected can pop up and threaten to derail even the best-laid plans.

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In purchasing real estate, contract and price negotiations are obviously a key part of the transaction. With the proper techniques, a buyer can potentially save thousands of dollars, as well as make for a smoother road to settlement. But, if you mess up, it can mean losing the house of your dreams, or make the whole experience more difficult than it needs to be.

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