You’ve heard it from Warren Buffett, your banker, and maybe even your bartender… Invest in real estate. #-ad_banner-#But before you take out a mortgage to buy your dream home (or spend your next paycheck on a fixer-upper in Detroit), right now may not be the best time.  Even though mortgage rates remain near all-time lows, there’s a shadow over the U.S. housing recovery — and even the Federal Reserve may be unable to do much about it. In the past, it wasn’t uncommon for new college… Read More

You’ve heard it from Warren Buffett, your banker, and maybe even your bartender… Invest in real estate. #-ad_banner-#But before you take out a mortgage to buy your dream home (or spend your next paycheck on a fixer-upper in Detroit), right now may not be the best time.  Even though mortgage rates remain near all-time lows, there’s a shadow over the U.S. housing recovery — and even the Federal Reserve may be unable to do much about it. In the past, it wasn’t uncommon for new college graduates to be able to buy a home soon after graduating. Although the next generation of potential homebuyers is finding it easier to obtain a job as unemployment rates drop, they’re expected to be saddled with crushing loads of student debt for years to come. In addition, nearly a third of the owners of the most affordable homes in the U.S. are underwater, meaning they owe more than their properties are worth. That means fewer low-priced homes for first-time homebuyers to choose from.  So what happens when you have a booming economy full of young would-be… Read More