Some buyers are solving housing woes with prose.

Why did Jones pay more for his mortgage than Smith? One possible reason is that they borrowed at different times, when market conditions were different. Right now, the market is very favorable, but mortgages priced at 3.5 percent today were priced at 17 percent in 1980. There is nothing borrowers can do to affect the general market.

The open house on a leafy street near South Miami featured a snack wagon with cupcakes and chilled beverages, but the real draw was the newly listed house for sale for $435,000.

We are now heading toward the end of the spring homebuying season, and mortgage rates remain near record-low levels.

Tyler Reid struggled to hold onto his Ladera Ranch, Calif., condominium during the recession.

Borrowers who withdraw cash when they refinance are viewed as riskier than those who don't, because the cash withdrawal indicates possible financial distress - and that perception can raise a borrower's costs.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The economy is slowly recovering, home values are rising again, and baby boomers are turning 65 at a rate of nearly 10,000 a day.

Home flippers got a bad name during the housing boom. They sold properties for big profits in days or weeks, and the rapid price appreciation created a frenzy that led to the eventual bust.

QUESTION: I have five years left until I pay off my 30-year mortgage. I received an offer to refinance, which certainly is tempting, but I'm getting pretty close to retirement. Should I lighten my burden now or try to hold on for five more years?