Earlier this week, Standard & Poors released its February Case-Shiller Index, a home price tracker for select metropolitan areas.

Overwhelmingly, home values fell in the 20 markets tracked by the Case-Shiller. Only San Diego showed a modest increase. The other 19 markets averaged a 1.23 percent decline [...]

Today, the Federal Open Market Committee voted 9-to-1 to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged within in its current target range of 0.000-0.250 percent.

In its press release, the FOMC noted that, since March, the U.S. economy “has continued to strengthen” and that the jobs markets “is [...]

The Federal Reserve adjourns from a scheduled, 2-day meeting today. It’s one of 8 scheduled Fed meetings for 2010.

Upon adjournment, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke & Co. will release a formal statement to the market. In it, the Fed is expected to announce “no change” in the Fed Funds Rate.

[...]

The sales of newly-built homes soared in March. Even more than what was expected. But the news may not be as glowing as what the media is telling us.

Take a look at the headlines from last Friday:

Sales of new homes rocketed up 27 percent in March (

A well-maintained grill is the key to great tasting food, season after season — chicken, meats, fish or other. And keeping your grill clean is simple.

In this 4-minute from Lowe’s, you’ll learn basic, pre-grilling cleaning tricks, plus how to breakdown your gas grill [...]

Existing Home Sales rose in March, as expected. U.S. home buyers closed on 7 percent more homes as compared to February.

Furthermore, versus March 2009 — a month many people equate to the low point of the U.S. economy — sales volume was up 16 percent.

“Existing home [...]

More than 60 percent of U.S. homes are “over-assessed”, says an industry trade group. Homeowners pay more in property taxes than they otherwise should have to. You might be one of them.

Have you considered fighting your real estate tax bill?

In this

Mortgage rates and home affordability have improved lately, thanks to an unlikely ally — Mother Nature.

In the 7 days since Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull erupted, ash clouds have grounded planes, disrupted businesses, and stranded exports in warehouses worldwide.

It’s a drag on commerce that’s spilled over onto Wall Street. [...]

After a strong March showing and a surprise upward-revision for February, Housing Starts are, once again, trending better.

It’s yet another signal that the housing market nationwide is stabilized.

A Housing Start is a new home on which construction has started and, over the last 6 months, home builders are averaging one half-million starts per [...]

Fold-up speakers for your MP3 players? You better believe it. OrigAudio’s eco-friendly Fold-N-Play speakers let you take your favorite playlists on the road to your office, hotel rooms and the beach.

Made from recycled materials, the Fold-N-Play speakers and arrives in a similarly-recycled box. It’s two, flat pieces of cardboard with [...]