Lean times call for budgetary triage. But while you should clearly opt for orthodontics before Disneyland, the choice is tougher when it comes to home maintenance.

States have until late Monday to agree to the latest draft deal aimed at relieving homeowners struggling with mortgages bigger than their home's value.

Just one day after President Obama detailed a proposal to enable millions of homeowners to refinance to record-low mortgage rates, those rates notched another record.

President Obama's latest probe into the mortgage meltdown will have more power than past efforts, and federal officials say it won't derail a possible $20 billion settlement for underwater and foreclosed homeowners.

The Obama administration on Wednesday detailed its latest plan to help millions of homeowners refinance their mortgages to today's historically-low rates.

Investors are racing into REITs that promise higher yields than equity REITs. But be forewarned, the higher yields of these other types of real estate vehicles come with very real risks.

You'd think that investors would be leery of companies that own and manage commercial real estate. Vacancy rates remain elevated in office buildings and shopping centers. Except for apartment buildings, rents really haven't grown at all in four years. And given the possibility that the global economy may retrench yet again, things could still get worse before they get better.

Between slumping prices and low mortgage rates, it's a good time to look for real estate bargains. But thanks to tightened lending standards, legions of young would-be homebuyers aren't exactly in a position to take advantage of the opportunity. That's where their parents come in: One in three first-time buyers received either a gift or a loan from their families to help buy a home in 2011, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Florida's cities were some of the hardest hit by the housing bust, but now they are leading the charge back. Of Realtor.com's top 10 turnaround towns, eight are in the Sunshine State.

Home prices posted a steep, month-over-month drop in November, falling 1.3%, according to the latest S&P/Case-Shiller 20-city report. Prices fell in 19 of the 20 cities the index covers.

Despite a challenging real estate market, the industry’s leading residential brokerage firms continue to demonstrate resiliency and growth, and will prove this by participating in RISMedia’s 24th Annual Power Broker Report & Survey. As the industry’s preeminent report ranking the …

The Obama administration is taking another swing at improving its main foreclosure prevention program.

FORTUNE -- Over the past few months, a spate of good news about the U.S. housing market has led some to think a recovery is finally on the horizon.

Just 302,000 new homes were sold in 2011, 6.2% below 2010 and the lowest number of annual sales since the government started tracking home sales in 1963.

Sales of homes in foreclosure comprised 20% of all U.S. residential sales during the third quarter, according to RealtyTrac.

Out of all of the presidential candidates, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney owns the most real estate -- even after unloading a couple of sizable properties.

A new special task force to investigate and prosecute those responsible for bad mortgages during the housing boom will be part of President Obama's 2012 agenda.

President Obama is expected to once again offer ways to help the beleaguered housing market in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night.

Obeo, a leading provider of online real estate virtual tours and real estate in North America, announced a new search engine optimization (SEO) feature to help brokers and agents win the battle for their listings.

Studies show that 96 percent …

Regional Spotlight—RE/MAX of New England recently released their 2012 Housing Market Outlook & Forecast.

According to the study, Connecticut experienced the largest declines in 2011, as single-family home transactions slid -8.4 percent and average price dipped -1.8 percent, compared to …

The housing collapse has dramatically changed the nation's foreclosure landscape.

The numbers are grim: China's property bubble is heading for a spectacular burst, and its effect on the country's economy will be widespread.

A three-bedroom home for $15,000? These foreclosed homes may be in some of the U.S.'s hardest hit neighborhoods, but the deals may be too good for some buyers to pass up.

You don't have to be underwater on your mortgage to feel trapped in your home.

Home sales ended a difficult year on a high note, resulting in a gain in full-year sales volume.

PETA wants O.J. Simpson's house.

From spinning UFOs in upstate New York to magical kingdoms in Arkansas, these homes offer a truly unusual living experience

New home construction slowed slightly in December after a strong November showing, but was still much more active than a year earlier.

Mortgage loan applications surged 23% last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, as record-low interest rates convinced many homeowners it was time to refinance into lower-cost loans.

The president's efforts to revive the housing market have largely failed. But is that entirely Obama's fault?