Rising home sales point to better year for housing market

This article is by Derek Kravitz at MercuryNews.com WASHINGTON — Sales of previously occupied homes rose in January to the highest pace in nearly two years, a hopeful sign ahead of the spring buying season. The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that existing-home sales increased 4.3 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual…

The Tax Benefits of Refinancing

This article is by Bill Bischoff at SmartMoney Many people refinanced their mortgages in 2011 to take advantage of super-low interest rates. If you refinanced last year, here’s how to make sure you claim all your rightful deductions on your 2011 return. Deducting Your Mortgage Interest Say your original mortgage was $200,000. On July 1,…

Home prices at lowest point in more than 10 years

This article is by Chris Isidore at CNNMoney.com NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Home prices fell to their lowest point in more than a decade in January, which helped to lift the pace of home sales, according to a report from an industry trade group. The National Association of Realtors reported that the median home price…