Mortgage applications fall to the lowest pace in 25 years in latest week

Mortgage applications fall to the lowest pace in 25 years in latest week

The numbers: A surge in mortgage rates, and evacuations due to Hurricane Ian, both seriously dampened demand for home purchases and refinances. Rates are inching even closer to 7%, and buyers have pulled back. The addition of a hurricane in Florida, which prompted widespread closings and evacuations, weighed down the market composite index, a measure…

Hurricane Ian devastated your home — here’s the important first steps for disaster relief and insurance claims

Hurricane Ian devastated your home — here’s the important first steps for disaster relief and insurance claims

The full financial and human price of Hurricane Ian’s destruction is still unknown, days after it lashed Florida and now with South Carolina fresh off its wrath. But even with the immediate search and rescue missions still happening, experts say there’s already steps people can take to begin their long road to financial recovery. By…

How fast utilities recover from hurricanes like Ian can tell you which of their stocks is best

How fast utilities recover from hurricanes like Ian can tell you which of their stocks is best

Nearly 2 million electricity customers across Florida remained without power Friday, a modest improvement from the day before as the state looks to recover from Category 4 Hurricane Ian, a storm tagged as one of the worst ever to hit that part of the U.S. In a Friday alert, there were 1,933,573 customers without power…

Waffle House closing 21 Florida stores for Hurricane Ian is ‘time to panic’

Waffle House closing 21 Florida stores for Hurricane Ian is ‘time to panic’

Florida has spent days bracing for Hurricane Ian, which made landfall on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm. Both Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, and residents in Ian’s path were urged to evacuate as more than 1 million homes were estimated to…

As Hurricane Ian nears Florida, a former resident recalls the ‘horror’ of such storms

As Hurricane Ian nears Florida, a former resident recalls the ‘horror’ of such storms

That was my first thought when I started seeing the path that Hurricane Ian was taking a couple of days ago. The “cone” is the tracking tool that the National Hurricane Center shares to provide some sense of where a storm may land, putting those within the areas that could be affected on notice. As…

Hurricane Ian: These stocks could feel the storm’s impact

Hurricane Ian: These stocks could feel the storm’s impact

As Florida braces for Hurricane Ian’s landfall, a range of companies — from providers of rebuilding supplies to food retailers and parts of the insurance sector — will likely feel the impact. The hurricane is expected to cause catastrophic storm surges, winds and flooding on the Florida peninsula starting Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center warned…

Hurricane Ian: 5 reasons retirement favorite Tampa is increasingly at risk from hurricanes and climate-change impact

Hurricane Ian: 5 reasons retirement favorite Tampa is increasingly at risk from hurricanes and climate-change impact

It’s been more than a century since a major storm packing the punch that Hurricane Ian threatens hit the popular Tampa Bay area in Florida. Modern living means we’re better at warning people. It also means that major housing sprawl and coastal business development and the growing threat of worsening storms each year put even more lives…

The U.S. cities where homes are most at risk from hurricanes and other storm damage

The U.S. cities where homes are most at risk from hurricanes and other storm damage

As the country enters hurricane season from June 1 to the end of November, homes in New York and Miami are at the highest risk for property damage, according to a report released Wednesday from housing-research firm CoreLogic. Overall, more than 33 million homes in America are at risk of suffering damage from hurricanes, according…

Can I deduct my casualty loss if my house was damaged by a natural disaster?

Can I deduct my casualty loss if my house was damaged by a natural disaster?

The U.S. is a big country, and recurring natural and manmade disasters are inevitable. This year, we’ve already had tornadoes and wildfires. Hurricane season is about to commence, and forecasters are predicting a busier than average spate of storms. Batten down the hatches. If you’re unlucky enough to suffer a disaster-related loss, here’s what you…