Mary Beth Eastman

Beaver

Writer and Editor at Freelance

Freelance personal finance writer and editor. Past life: News designer. Free time: whiskey + crafts.

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Articles

Mortgage Foreclosure in 2025: You May Be at Risk

1 week ago | money.usnews.com | Mary Beth Eastman |Ray Frager |Gina Freeman

Mortgage defaults have ticked up slightly since last year, primarily among FHA borrowers. Late or missing mortgage payments can seriously affect your credit history and could even lead to foreclosure. To avoid default, consider refinancing, using a home equity loan or line of credit, or asking your lender for forbearance or a loan modification. Mortgage defaults have risen slightly since this time last year, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Homeowners at 23: How This Couple Overcame Housing Market Challenges

1 month ago | mortgageresearch.com | Mary Beth Eastman |Tim Lucas

A couple in their early 20s leveraged every advantage to become ultra-young homeowners. Other buyers can do the same. How old is the average homebuyer? Not 30. Not 40. Not even 50. The average age of a homebuyer in 2024 was 56, according to research from the National Association of Realtors. Seems high, right? It is. The previous year, the average age was 49.
Are New Construction Homes Even Worth Buying Anymore? How To Protect Yourself

1 month ago | mortgageresearch.com | Mary Beth Eastman |Tim Lucas

Not all new construction homes are trouble-free. You have to remain diligent despite buying a brand-new home. Paper-thin drywall. Crooked moldings. Cracked grout and tiles. Framing gaps so wide you could drive a truck through them. There are plenty of new-home horror stories on social media these days. Are today’s new construction homes really crafted with such shoddy workmanship? And if so, is the only solution to grit your teeth and buy a Victorian-era money pit?
Buying a House As a Single Person in a Market Geared for Two

2 months ago | mortgageresearch.com | Mary Beth Eastman |Tim Lucas

Single homebuyers have an uphill battle as home affordability deteriorates. But single-income buyers can still afford to buy if they plan ahead and get creative. More than two-thirds of people who buy a home these days are married, according to a report from the National Association of Realtors. In a housing market that feels more unaffordable by the day, that figure makes sense. After all, it should be easier to buy a home when you have two incomes to work with instead of just one.
More Buyers Getting Down Payment Gifts from the Bank of Mom and Dad

2 months ago | mortgageresearch.com | Mary Beth Eastman |Tim Lucas

Real estate professionals are seeing many younger buyers receive large financial gifts from parents to help with them afford a house. But down payment assistance from other sources can help buyers without this luxury. Wondering how the 25-year-old down the street could possibly afford their new home? It could be because they had significant help.
Best Business Credit Cards for Startups of January 2025

2 months ago | newsweek.com | Sara Coleman |Mary Beth Eastman

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Vault Credit Cards Advertiser Disclosure By Sara Coleman Sara Coleman Contributor Sara Coleman is a personal finance writer based in Augusta, Georgia.
Citizens Bank Savings Account Interest Rates: January 2025

2 months ago | newsweek.com | Theresa Stevens |Kristy Snyder |Mary Beth Eastman

Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Vault Banking Savings Advertiser Disclosure By Theresa Stevens Theresa Stevens Contributor Theresa Stevens is a personal finance writer based in Boston, Massachusetts.
Is a Cash Offer Better When Selling Your House?

Dec 5, 2024 | homes.com | Mary Beth Eastman

7 min read December 5, 2024 As a seller, you may wonder if a cash offer is automatically a better deal. The most significant advantage of a cash offer is speed. A buyer paying cash does not need to secure financing or go through the appraisal process to purchase your home. While cash purchases usually lead to quicker transactions, the flip side is a more limited pool of buyers.
A $100k Salary No Longer Buys the Typical Home

Dec 5, 2024 | mortgageresearch.com | Mary Beth Eastman |Tim Lucas

Earning $100,000 is a career milestone event for many middle-class Americans. It signifies a certain level of comfort; until very recently, it was a salary level that could support the purchase of a median-priced home without condemning the buyer to a strict diet of ramen noodles. Between 2015 and 2021, earning six figures meant you could afford a home of roughly $450,000 to $500,000, about 1.5x the median home price.
Home Affordability Isn't The Worst of All Time. It Just Feels Like It

Nov 20, 2024 | mortgageresearch.com | Tim Lucas |Mary Beth Eastman

We’ll cut to the chase: yes, homes are much less affordable now than they’ve been in decades, according to our analysis of home price and income data going back to 1971. Today’s median-priced home, costing $412,300, eats up 49% of the median monthly salary in 2024 – just as it did in 1988, when the median price of a home was $110,000. What’s more, this unaffordability has actually gotten better over the last several months.