Mortgage Applications for Refinancing Drop 18% as Interest Rates Rise

Mortgage refinancing activity pulled back sharply this week, as higher interest rates put a damper on refi originations. The Mortgage Bankers Association's refinance index dropped 18% for the week ending May 22, compared to a week earlier. The group estimates that average 30-year fixed mortgage rate

Madonna Reveals She Accidentally Started a Fire While ‘Living Illegally’ in New York City: ‘I Woke Up Surrounded by Flames’

Chart-topper Madonna has candidly admitted that she was started a fire in a New York City building where she was "living illegally" while trying to break into the music industry. Today, the songstress, whose real name is Madonna Louise Ciccone, boasts an illustrious decadeslong career in the spotlig

Artist Colony Made Famous by ‘Hippies’ and Rock Stars Comes Into Its Own as Luxury Destination

Woodstock, NY, has one of the most recognizable names in real estate, thanks to a world-renowned music festival that didn't even take place in the town. The name conjures up images of Jimi Hendrix letting loose with "The Star Spangled Banner," Joe Cocker's famous gyrations, and an ominous warning no

Greenpoint Got a Little Beach

On a 90-degree day in May, the people of Greenpoint went to the beach on their lunch breaks, though perhaps “beach” here is a stretch. After many years of delay, the part of Bushwick Inlet Park featuring a patch of sand opened earlier this month on Kent and North 14th Streets. Still, everyone is ...