Gabriella is a personal finance writer whose previous coverage has appeared in Money Magazine, MSN Money and the Journal Gazette & Times-Courier. She began her career at the Hyde Park Herald, where she wrote about K-12 education, politics and small businesses in the South Side of Chicago and won a McCormick Foundation Diversity Writers scholarship. During her freetime, she likes to enjoy a good book or skateboard with her dog.
- Yahoo Finance
With food inflation still hot, consumers turn to buy now, pay later to buy groceries and takeout
While food prices moderated in February, they remain 22% higher than 2020 levels. The uptick in prices has turned more Americans to buy now, pay later options to buy food.
- Yahoo Finance
Mortgage refinance demand spikes as rates fall for second straight week
As mortgage rates remained under the 7% threshold, some homeowners jumped to refinance.
- Yahoo Personal Finance
Inflation update on everyday expenses: Travel costs tick down, over-the-counter meds shoot up
Declining prices for many goods are helping slow inflation, but basics such as housing, food, gasoline, and energy continued to come in hotter than expected.
- Yahoo Finance
Sellers are the only ones happy in today’s housing market, Fannie Mae survey finds
Nearly two-thirds of US home sellers think it's a great time to sell, according to a gauge on housing confidence. This was offset by 83% of buyers who said it was a bad time to buy.
- Yahoo Finance
Biden administration slashes credit card late fees to $8 — down from $32 on average
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule limiting credit card late fees to $8. The move could save 45 million people an average $220 per year on late fees.
- Yahoo Finance
Seller incentives aren’t cutting it as homebuyers struggle with affordability
Buyers in today's market are seeking concessions that will help with affordability, one study showed, a trend sellers will likely need to adjust to if they want to close a deal this spring.
- Yahoo Finance
Customers spent hours inputting their info. HR Block deleted it as a sales tactic, FTC says.
The Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against H&R Block, alleging the tax prep company has been misleading customers into believing they qualify for free filing when they do not.
- Yahoo Finance
Pending home sales slump in January as elevated mortgage rates curb affordability
US pending home sales fell nearly 5% in January as both elevated mortgage rates and home prices continued to challenge homebuyer demand, the NAR found.
- Yahoo Finance
Baby boomers are staying in their homes for decades, smothering inventory
American homeowners are opting to stay put for twice as long as they did 20 years ago, according to Redfin. The trend was most prevalent among baby boomers.
- Yahoo Finance
Existing home prices surpass income growth for the first time in 14 months
Existing home sales increased in January on a slight easing of mortgage rates. But home prices rose too.
- Yahoo Finance
Struggling consumers use buy now, pay later services for everyday necessities — even groceries
The Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that struggling consumers are using BNPL for everyday purchases, which could add to their debt.
- Yahoo Finance
Buying down mortgage rates wasn’t worth it in 2023, experts say, and won’t be worth it in 2024
Despite homebuyers buying more points, the interest rate differential was negligible and didn't save much money.
- Yahoo Finance
Mortgage demand wilts after rates briefly top 7%, according to daily index
The weekly average rate settled below 7%, but day-to-day volatility continued to plague buyers' affordability.
- Yahoo Finance
Millennials are struggling under mounting credit card debt, NY Fed finds
Outstanding credit card balances reached $1.13 trillion at the end of 2023. Delinquencies ballooned too.
- Yahoo Finance
Lack of affordable homes for sale hits minorities hardest, analysis shows
The average Black household could afford just 7% of listings for sale last year. The figure was 10% for Latinos.
- Yahoo Finance
Pending home sales post biggest jump in 3 years, but remain historically low
Contract signings were up just over 1% year over year, but were still 25% lower than those recorded in December 2019.
- Yahoo Finance
Proposed child tax credit expansion would lift half a million children out of poverty by 2025
When the credit was expanded in 2021, the nation's child poverty rate fell by half. When it expired, child poverty doubled.
- Yahoo Finance
Existing home sales sank to slowest pace in 30 years in 2023
Existing home sales fell to the lowest level in 30 years. But homebuying conditions were better in the 1990s.
- Yahoo Finance
Biden proposal would slash bank overdraft fees to as low as $3
The proposed rule targeted a loophole that allowed bank overdraft fees to balloon, hitting low-income Americans hardest.
- Yahoo Finance
Housing: Bidding wars erupt as 2024 kicks off, with some listings seeing over 30 offers
Mortgage rates declined throughout December, luring more buyers back to the market. They're competing over stubbornly low inventory.