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2008-02-09 09:30:00
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Mortgage rates: biggest spike in 4 years
2007-10-10 05:30:00
By Rob Kelley, CNNMoney.com staff writerMort gage rates made their largest upward movement in nearly 4 years, and the 30-year fixed-rate reached its highest level since July 2006, Freddie Mac said Thursday.The average rate on 30-year fixed-rate loans climbed to 6.74 percent for the week ending June 14, from 6.53 percent the previous week. That marked the biggest one-week increase since July 2003.Last year at this time, 30-year mortgage rates averaged 6.63 percent. The rate is the highest since July 20, 2006, when it averaged 6.80 percent.The 30-year rate stood at 6.15 percent on May 10th, just before it turned sharply up.New home foreclosures hit recordDoug Duncan, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), expects mortgage rates to top out near 7 percent by the end of the year.Rising rates, among other factors, have caused the MBA and the National Association of Realtors to push back their forecasts for a home price recovery. Both groups are now looking to early 200...
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Mortgage rates: biggest spike in 4 years
2007-10-10 05:30:00
By Rob Kelley, CNNMoney.com staff writerMort gage rates made their largest upward movement in nearly 4 years, and the 30-year fixed-rate reached its highest level since July 2006, Freddie Mac said Thursday.The average rate on 30-year fixed-rate loans climbed to 6.74 percent for the week ending June 14, from 6.53 percent the previous week. That marked the biggest one-week increase since July 2003.Last year at this time, 30-year mortgage rates averaged 6.63 percent. The rate is the highest since July 20, 2006, when it averaged 6.80 percent.The 30-year rate stood at 6.15 percent on May 10th, just before it turned sharply up.New home foreclosures hit recordDoug Duncan, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), expects mortgage rates to top out near 7 percent by the end of the year.Rising rates, among other factors, have caused the MBA and the National Association of Realtors to push back their forecasts for a home price recovery. Both groups are now looking to early 200...
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Make a buck off rising rates
2007-10-10 05:28:00
By Rob Kelley, CNNMoney.com staff writerThe recent run-up in interest rates may be a letdown to someone looking for a home loan, but it could spell dollar signs for investors with money to lend.Four years ago, when rates were around 1 percent, loan-based investments like certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market funds weren't attractive because their payoffs rise and fall along with rates.But now they're looking a lot better as interest rates have risen above 5 percent on inflation concerns.CDs are loans that consumers make to a bank for a set period of time, while money market funds are mutual funds that invest in short-term debt.Investors don't expect huge returns from these investments, because they're low-risk. You get all the money you invested back, plus the interest it's earned. With safety though, you give up risk and the potential payoff that stocks can deliver over the long term.If you're afraid of the stock market or want a safe, short-term investment, now is a...
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Make a buck off rising rates
2007-10-10 05:28:00
By Rob Kelley, CNNMoney.com staff writerThe recent run-up in interest rates may be a letdown to someone looking for a home loan, but it could spell dollar signs for investors with money to lend.Four years ago, when rates were around 1 percent, loan-based investments like certificates of deposit (CDs) and money market funds weren't attractive because their payoffs rise and fall along with rates.But now they're looking a lot better as interest rates have risen above 5 percent on inflation concerns.CDs are loans that consumers make to a bank for a set period of time, while money market funds are mutual funds that invest in short-term debt.Investors don't expect huge returns from these investments, because they're low-risk. You get all the money you invested back, plus the interest it's earned. With safety though, you give up risk and the potential payoff that stocks can deliver over the long term.If you're afraid of the stock market or want a safe, short-term investment, now is a...
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Auto loans: What you need to know
2007-10-10 05:26:00
By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writerFew of us have the means to write a check for the full amount of a new - or even used - vehicle.Unfortunately, car buyers, treating financing as an afterthought in the car buying transaction, can easily waste thousands of dollars.Here are some tips on what to do and what to avoid.Know your incentivesWeb sites like Edmunds.com (which provides automotive data for CNN's Web sites) list available incentives in your area. Often there are low-interest, or even zero-percent, financing deals you might qualify for.Don't assume you need perfect credit. Ford Motor Co. (Charts), for example, has recently opened up its zero-percent financing incentive to buyers with a few potholes in their credit history.It's true that a car company's "captive finance arm," - for example, Ford Motor Credit or Toyota Motor Credit - will probably be able to offer you a better financing deal than an outside bank or credit union. After all, it's their job to help...
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Auto loans: What you need to know
2007-10-10 05:26:00
By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com staff writerFew of us have the means to write a check for the full amount of a new - or even used - vehicle.Unfortunately, car buyers, treating financing as an afterthought in the car buying transaction, can easily waste thousands of dollars.Here are some tips on what to do and what to avoid.Know your incentivesWeb sites like Edmunds.com (which provides automotive data for CNN's Web sites) list available incentives in your area. Often there are low-interest, or even zero-percent, financing deals you might qualify for.Don't assume you need perfect credit. Ford Motor Co. (Charts), for example, has recently opened up its zero-percent financing incentive to buyers with a few potholes in their credit history.It's true that a car company's "captive finance arm," - for example, Ford Motor Credit or Toyota Motor Credit - will probably be able to offer you a better financing deal than an outside bank or credit union. After all, it's their job to help...
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Pulling cash from your home: What's new, what to do
2007-10-10 05:24:00
By Gerri Willis, Money Magazine contributing writerNEW YORK (Money Magazine) -- Not long ago, a well-known economist surprised me by suggesting that it's a good time for homeowners to tap their equity to buy stocks.Crazy, I thought. If you had risked your house to invest in the stock market before the dotcom crash, you could have lost everything.But his idea got me thinking. For many of us, our house is our biggest cash reserve, and raiding that piggy bank made financial sense for years because interest rates were low and rising home prices kept replenishing the bank.Now, with rates up and prices soft, is there any reason to tap your home equity?What's changedOpening a home-equity line of credit is no longer a slam dunk for three reasons.It's not cheap money Even though rates may drop in 2007, in recent years they've been going up, up, up. At today's average rate of 8.7%, the interest-only monthly payment on a $100,000 HELOC is $725 vs. $387 when rates hit their lows nearly thr...
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Pulling cash from your home: What's new, what to do
2007-10-10 05:24:00
By Gerri Willis, Money Magazine contributing writerNEW YORK (Money Magazine) -- Not long ago, a well-known economist surprised me by suggesting that it's a good time for homeowners to tap their equity to buy stocks.Crazy, I thought. If you had risked your house to invest in the stock market before the dotcom crash, you could have lost everything.But his idea got me thinking. For many of us, our house is our biggest cash reserve, and raiding that piggy bank made financial sense for years because interest rates were low and rising home prices kept replenishing the bank.Now, with rates up and prices soft, is there any reason to tap your home equity?What's changedOpening a home-equity line of credit is no longer a slam dunk for three reasons.It's not cheap money Even though rates may drop in 2007, in recent years they've been going up, up, up. At today's average rate of 8.7%, the interest-only monthly payment on a $100,000 HELOC is $725 vs. $387 when rates hit their lows nearly thr...
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Mortgage rates ease slightly
2007-10-10 05:22:00
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Mort gage rates fell slightly after three weeks of gains as the initial effects of credit woes spread to the housing market, Freddie Mac reported Thursday.The government-sponsored loan buyer said the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.37 percent for the week ending October 3, down from 6.42 percent from the week earlier. At this time last year, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.30 percent."The initial effects of the credit market turmoil that began in August are starting to emerge in housing statistics," said Freddie Mac chief economist Frank Nothaft."New home sales in August fell to the slowest pace in more than seven years and the median sales price had the largest twelve-month decline since 1970," said Nothaft, who noted that August's pending existing home sales fell to their lowest level on record since 2001.In the 12-month period ending July, the housing sector lost 260,000 jobs while the overall economy gained 1.8 million new non-farm pa...
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Mortgage rates ease slightly
2007-10-10 05:22:00
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Mort gage rates fell slightly after three weeks of gains as the initial effects of credit woes spread to the housing market, Freddie Mac reported Thursday.The government-sponsored loan buyer said the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.37 percent for the week ending October 3, down from 6.42 percent from the week earlier. At this time last year, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.30 percent."The initial effects of the credit market turmoil that began in August are starting to emerge in housing statistics," said Freddie Mac chief economist Frank Nothaft."New home sales in August fell to the slowest pace in more than seven years and the median sales price had the largest twelve-month decline since 1970," said Nothaft, who noted that August's pending existing home sales fell to their lowest level on record since 2001.In the 12-month period ending July, the housing sector lost 260,000 jobs while the overall economy gained 1.8 million new non-farm pa...
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Health costs race past inflation
2007-10-10 05:19:00
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Health insurance premiums in 2007 rose 6.1 percent, the lowest growth rate in eight years but still well above inflation and worker earnings, according to the latest annual survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation.It was the fourth consecutive year of slowing growth and the lowest rate of growth since 1999, when premiums increased 5.3 percent.Since 2001, however, premiums for family coverage have increased 78 percent, while wages have gone up 19 percent and inflation has gone up 17 percent.The number of employers offering health care benefits was essentially unmoved at 60 percent, down from last year's 61 percent.Employees' annual average cost for single coverage is $4,479 and $12,106 for family coverage. Single workers on average pay $694 of the cost out of their own pockets, while worker contributions for family coverage is $3,281.According to the survey, 95 percent of firms with 50 or more employees offer health insurance, while smaller firms of 3 - 9...
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Health costs race past inflation
2007-10-10 05:19:00
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Health insurance premiums in 2007 rose 6.1 percent, the lowest growth rate in eight years but still well above inflation and worker earnings, according to the latest annual survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation.It was the fourth consecutive year of slowing growth and the lowest rate of growth since 1999, when premiums increased 5.3 percent.Since 2001, however, premiums for family coverage have increased 78 percent, while wages have gone up 19 percent and inflation has gone up 17 percent.The number of employers offering health care benefits was essentially unmoved at 60 percent, down from last year's 61 percent.Employees' annual average cost for single coverage is $4,479 and $12,106 for family coverage. Single workers on average pay $694 of the cost out of their own pockets, while worker contributions for family coverage is $3,281.According to the survey, 95 percent of firms with 50 or more employees offer health insurance, while smaller firms of 3 - 9...
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They want to sell your kid
2007-10-10 05:17:00
By Penelope Wang, Money Magazine senior writerTo improve her chances of getting into a good college, Caitlin Pickavance, a 17-year-old high school senior from Danville, Calif., has been working with a private college coach since her freshman year (cost: $800).She gets tutored in math ($1,400), takes an ACT prep class ($900) and participates in afterschool enrichment activities ($1,350). Then there's the good-will mission to Belize she went on last spring ($1,375) and the classes she took this summer at the University of Salamanca in Spain ($7,000) in hopes of further buffing her résumé.Total spent to date: $12,825."It's not about the money," says her mom Cathy, who had to tap Caitlin's 529 account to pay for her study abroad. "The stress is, oh my gosh, will my child get into the college she wants?"Welcome to the admissions arms race. In an era when fewer than one out of five applicants are accepted by top schools and media hype about the crazy competitiveness of getting into c...
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They want to sell your kid
2007-10-10 05:17:00
By Penelope Wang, Money Magazine senior writerTo improve her chances of getting into a good college, Caitlin Pickavance, a 17-year-old high school senior from Danville, Calif., has been working with a private college coach since her freshman year (cost: $800).She gets tutored in math ($1,400), takes an ACT prep class ($900) and participates in afterschool enrichment activities ($1,350). Then there's the good-will mission to Belize she went on last spring ($1,375) and the classes she took this summer at the University of Salamanca in Spain ($7,000) in hopes of further buffing her résumé.Total spent to date: $12,825."It's not about the money," says her mom Cathy, who had to tap Caitlin's 529 account to pay for her study abroad. "The stress is, oh my gosh, will my child get into the college she wants?"Welcome to the admissions arms race. In an era when fewer than one out of five applicants are accepted by top schools and media hype about the crazy competitiveness of getting into c...
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When bad returns don't make a bad fund
2007-10-10 05:10:00
By Penelope Wang, Money Magazine senior writerLast month I got an e-mail from a reader really giving it to me: "How can you possibly continue to have Jensen on your [Money 70 recommended fund] list?" he asked. "I just couldn't keep the dog in my portfolio, so I sold it."Jensen (Charts) has been a laggard, true enough. But too bad about the timing of that sale. More often than not, the best move to make with a lagging fund is to do nothing. A fund may go into a slump simply because its strategy is out of favor on Wall Street. Eventually the market will shift, and your dog will again have its day.That is exactly what happened with Jensen shortly after this e-mail arrived. Here's the backstory: Jensen focuses on supersize stocks that increase their earnings at a better than average clip - think General Electric or Microsoft. For more than six years, investors have more or less ignored these behemoths in favor of funds that invest in bargain-priced small stocks and real estate. So it...
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When bad returns don't make a bad fund
2007-10-10 05:10:00
By Penelope Wang, Money Magazine senior writerLast month I got an e-mail from a reader really giving it to me: "How can you possibly continue to have Jensen on your [Money 70 recommended fund] list?" he asked. "I just couldn't keep the dog in my portfolio, so I sold it."Jensen (Charts) has been a laggard, true enough. But too bad about the timing of that sale. More often than not, the best move to make with a lagging fund is to do nothing. A fund may go into a slump simply because its strategy is out of favor on Wall Street. Eventually the market will shift, and your dog will again have its day.That is exactly what happened with Jensen shortly after this e-mail arrived. Here's the backstory: Jensen focuses on supersize stocks that increase their earnings at a better than average clip - think General Electric or Microsoft. For more than six years, investors have more or less ignored these behemoths in favor of funds that invest in bargain-priced small stocks and real estate. So it...
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The right IRA for you
2007-10-10 05:03:00
By Walter Updegrave, Money Magazine senior editorNEW YORK (Money) -- Question: If you contribute to a traditional IRA, after many years most of your account value will be in the form of investment earnings, which are taxable when you withdraw them. With a Roth, on the other hand, your balance will be tax-free. So it seems to me that the advantage of tax-free withdrawals from the Roth in the future greatly outweighs any tax-deduction benefit you get from a traditional IRA. Doesn't that make the Roth a better deal? - Daniel SirokyAnswer: A lot of people aren't quite sure how to assess the value of contributing to a traditional IRA vs. doing a Roth. That's not surprising, given the number of factors that can affect which is the better choice for a given person in a given circumstance.Generally, I think having at least some money in a Roth IRA (or Roth 401(k), if that option is available to you) is good idea for several reasons. But before I get to them, I'd like to step back and ex...

The right IRA for you
2007-10-10 05:03:00
By Walter Updegrave, Money Magazine senior editorNEW YORK (Money) -- Question: If you contribute to a traditional IRA, after many years most of your account value will be in the form of investment earnings, which are taxable when you withdraw them. With a Roth, on the other hand, your balance will be tax-free. So it seems to me that the advantage of tax-free withdrawals from the Roth in the future greatly outweighs any tax-deduction benefit you get from a traditional IRA. Doesn't that make the Roth a better deal? - Daniel SirokyAnswer: A lot of people aren't quite sure how to assess the value of contributing to a traditional IRA vs. doing a Roth. That's not surprising, given the number of factors that can affect which is the better choice for a given person in a given circumstance.Generally, I think having at least some money in a Roth IRA (or Roth 401(k), if that option is available to you) is good idea for several reasons. But before I get to them, I'd like to step back and ex...

Giuliani, Romney champion tax cuts
2007-10-10 05:01:00
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) -- Republican presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani quarreled over tax and spending cuts Tuesday, each claiming greater commitment than the other in a debate in the nation's struggling manufacturing heartland.The government "is spending money of future generations and those yet to be born," added Fred Thompson, making his debut on a debate stage after a late entry into the race. He said future retirees should receive smaller Social Security benefits than they have been promised.After months of polite debate sparring, Giuliani and Romney squared off without hesitation, a reflection of their struggle for primacy in the race for their party's presidential nomination."I cut taxes 23 times. I believe in tax cuts," said Giuliani, former mayor of New York and leader in national Republican polls.Romney initially conceded that, but quickly criticized his rival for once filing a court challenge to a law that gave President Clinton the right to veto spendin...
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Giuliani, Romney champion tax cuts
2007-10-10 05:01:00
DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) -- Republican presidential hopefuls Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani quarreled over tax and spending cuts Tuesday, each claiming greater commitment than the other in a debate in the nation's struggling manufacturing heartland.The government "is spending money of future generations and those yet to be born," added Fred Thompson, making his debut on a debate stage after a late entry into the race. He said future retirees should receive smaller Social Security benefits than they have been promised.After months of polite debate sparring, Giuliani and Romney squared off without hesitation, a reflection of their struggle for primacy in the race for their party's presidential nomination."I cut taxes 23 times. I believe in tax cuts," said Giuliani, former mayor of New York and leader in national Republican polls.Romney initially conceded that, but quickly criticized his rival for once filing a court challenge to a law that gave President Clinton the right to veto spendin...
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Carly Fiorina to join Fox Business Channel
2007-10-10 04:58:00
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of computer and printer maker Hewlett-Packard Co., has signed on as a contributor with Fox News' soon-to-launch business news channel, the media company announced Tuesday.Fiorina was one of corporate America's most divisive figures during nearly six years at Palo Alto-based HP. Fox did not specify her role at the new channel, which debuts next week."We are proud to have her join FN as a contributor," Kevin Magee, Fox News' executive vice president, said in a statement. "Carly Fiorina is one of the foremost business leaders of our time."HP severed its ties with Fiorina in February 2005 amid concern that benefits from her hard-won $24.2 billion acquisition of Compaq Computer Corp. in 2002 were not materializing quickly enough.Her firing netted Fiorina a severance package of more than $21 million and helped fuel the publication last year of her best-selling memoir, "Tough Choices."Most Powerful Women in Business 2007Of her new affi...
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Carly Fiorina to join Fox Business Channel
2007-10-10 04:58:00
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of computer and printer maker Hewlett-Packard Co., has signed on as a contributor with Fox News' soon-to-launch business news channel, the media company announced Tuesday.Fiorina was one of corporate America's most divisive figures during nearly six years at Palo Alto-based HP. Fox did not specify her role at the new channel, which debuts next week."We are proud to have her join FN as a contributor," Kevin Magee, Fox News' executive vice president, said in a statement. "Carly Fiorina is one of the foremost business leaders of our time."HP severed its ties with Fiorina in February 2005 amid concern that benefits from her hard-won $24.2 billion acquisition of Compaq Computer Corp. in 2002 were not materializing quickly enough.Her firing netted Fiorina a severance package of more than $21 million and helped fuel the publication last year of her best-selling memoir, "Tough Choices."Most Powerful Women in Business 2007Of her new affi...
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Four Steps to Selling Your Home for Top Dollar
2007-10-08 04:57:00
We're smack in the middle of prime house-selling season. The National Association of Realtors predicts that 6.6 million existing homes will change hands this year.But many markets around the country are cooling, and the inventories of homes for sale are rising. Compared to the hot real estate market of recent years, you can no longer automatically expect to sell a house quickly and for a high price.However, sensible pricing and careful presentation can go a long way toward hastening a transaction. Follow these four tips, and you'll be on your way to selling your home for a good price this summer:1. Find Out What Your House Is WorthYou can't charge the right price unless you know what that is. So do a little research: * Go online. For a free Multiple Listing Service Home Market Check that shows what other residences like yours sold for recently in your area, visit the HomeInsight Web site. Or, check out Yahoo! Real Estate and click on "What's my home worth." Finally, visit Rea...
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Four Steps to Selling Your Home for Top Dollar
2007-10-08 04:57:00
We're smack in the middle of prime house-selling season. The National Association of Realtors predicts that 6.6 million existing homes will change hands this year.But many markets around the country are cooling, and the inventories of homes for sale are rising. Compared to the hot real estate market of recent years, you can no longer automatically expect to sell a house quickly and for a high price.However, sensible pricing and careful presentation can go a long way toward hastening a transaction. Follow these four tips, and you'll be on your way to selling your home for a good price this summer:1. Find Out What Your House Is WorthYou can't charge the right price unless you know what that is. So do a little research: * Go online. For a free Multiple Listing Service Home Market Check that shows what other residences like yours sold for recently in your area, visit the HomeInsight Web site. Or, check out Yahoo! Real Estate and click on "What's my home worth." Finally, visit Rea...
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7 Questions You Must Ask Before Buying a Condo
2007-10-08 04:56:00
provided bySmartMoney.comYou've found your dream condo, and you're ready to relax among the mango trees and swaying date palms. Hold everything. To keep from getting stuck with a lemon, you've got to do some homework. Here are the seven most important questions you need to ask before buying a condo.1. "What's the Beef?"Take a look at the minutes of the condo association board meetings to see what the owners have been griping about. If everyone was complaining about the faulty plumbing or the gardener's absence, you know that the complex is having management difficulties. Even if there aren't any complaints, reading the minutes will reveal the sorts of projects that are under way at the complex -- projects the seller may have neglected to mention.2. "Who's Been Naughty and Who's Been Nice?"Find out the delinquency rates of present owners. If people aren't paying their association dues on time, that is either a sign of discontent or an indication that the association might be...
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7 Questions You Must Ask Before Buying a Condo
2007-10-08 04:56:00
provided bySmartMoney.comYou've found your dream condo, and you're ready to relax among the mango trees and swaying date palms. Hold everything. To keep from getting stuck with a lemon, you've got to do some homework. Here are the seven most important questions you need to ask before buying a condo.1. "What's the Beef?"Take a look at the minutes of the condo association board meetings to see what the owners have been griping about. If everyone was complaining about the faulty plumbing or the gardener's absence, you know that the complex is having management difficulties. Even if there aren't any complaints, reading the minutes will reveal the sorts of projects that are under way at the complex -- projects the seller may have neglected to mention.2. "Who's Been Naughty and Who's Been Nice?"Find out the delinquency rates of present owners. If people aren't paying their association dues on time, that is either a sign of discontent or an indication that the association might be...
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Homes: Why Buying Bigger Is No Guarantee of a Rich Retirement
2007-10-08 04:54:00
provided byWSJThis is one tab the house won't pick up.It's among today's most popular retirement-savings strategies: Buy the big house, hope the real-estate boom continues and then trade down at retirement, thus freeing up home equity that will pay for years of early-bird specials.Sound appealing? Trouble is, you will fork over a heap of dollars -- and you'll end up with a surprisingly small nest egg.• Living large: To understand why, imagine you are age 35, have a $400,000 home with a $300,000 mortgage and are looking to retire at age 65.What's the best way to build yourself a nest egg? You might stick with your current home, pay down that mortgage over the next 30 years and stash your spare cash in stock and bond mutual funds. Call this the "small-house strategy" (though, in many parts of the country, a $400,000 home wouldn't be exactly small).Alternatively, you could opt for the "big-house strategy" -- trading up to a $1 million home and aiming to pay down the resulting $...
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Homes: Why Buying Bigger Is No Guarantee of a Rich Retirement
2007-10-08 04:54:00
provided byWSJThis is one tab the house won't pick up.It's among today's most popular retirement-savings strategies: Buy the big house, hope the real-estate boom continues and then trade down at retirement, thus freeing up home equity that will pay for years of early-bird specials.Sound appealing? Trouble is, you will fork over a heap of dollars -- and you'll end up with a surprisingly small nest egg.• Living large: To understand why, imagine you are age 35, have a $400,000 home with a $300,000 mortgage and are looking to retire at age 65.What's the best way to build yourself a nest egg? You might stick with your current home, pay down that mortgage over the next 30 years and stash your spare cash in stock and bond mutual funds. Call this the "small-house strategy" (though, in many parts of the country, a $400,000 home wouldn't be exactly small).Alternatively, you could opt for the "big-house strategy" -- trading up to a $1 million home and aiming to pay down the resulting $...
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Home Buying: On Second Thought
2007-10-08 04:50:00
provided byMarketWatchBuyer's remorse is common, but here are five ways to beat itMost people have experienced buyer's remorse in some form, whether it's feeling guilty over the price paid for a new pair of shoes or a jab of regret after splurging on some unneeded tech gizmo.But when it comes to one of the most expensive purchases in a consumer's life, a home, feelings of remorse can be a lot more intense, easily rattling otherwise confident home buyers and causing them to second-guess what they liked about a house in the first place.Luckily, many local real estate markets today are buyer's markets; there's lots of inventory to look at and often ample time to negotiate on price, said Eric Cunliffe, senior vice president of RealEstate.com. Those factors greatly decrease the chances of buyers completely changing their minds -- and wishing they'd gone for a different house -- after the fact."In 2005, people felt desperate to get out there and get there first and make their offer...
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