Halloween falls on October 31 because the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, considered the earliest known root of Halloween, occurred on this day.
In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to praise all saints.
Soon, All Saints' Day incorporated some traditions of Samhain and the evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween.
Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats.
Today’s the day to eat candies and sweets to your heart’s content! Happy Halloween!

Mortgage rates could hover around 7% through year-end, keeping affordability pressured unless inflation cools enough to change the Fed’s trajectory.
Sticky inflation and another potential Fed hike could push mortgage costs higher, while wider MBS spreads add further pressure to borrowing rates.
A meaningful rate drop would need sustained inflation progress, calmer long-term yields, supportive Fed signals, and healthier mortgage-backed securities spreads.
For buyers, investors, and refinancers, today’s rates should remain the planning baseline, while future rate relief should be treated as potential upside.

Higher borrowing costs are raising the cost of delaying a purchase, as buyers who wait face potentially larger monthly payments if financing conditions remain elevated.
Home prices are not falling fast enough to offset financing costs, meaning waiting for a cheaper home does not automatically guarantee a lower overall purchase cost.
Buyers still have negotiating opportunities in some markets, particularly where inventory has improved and sellers are competing for fewer offers.
Takeaway: Waiting can make sense for some buyers, but the decision now depends on the full cost of financing, price and negotiating leverage—not rates alone.

Spring buyer engagement strengthened nationally, but existing-home sales rose far less, showing that more shoppers were active than able to complete purchases.
With inventory also higher yearly, the mismatch pointed to a sizable group of ready buyers who stayed sidelined instead of reaching the closing table.
Engaged shoppers saved or shared listings, a stronger intent signal than casual browsing and a useful clue for tracking where US demand concentrated.
A brief window of ~6% borrowing costs earlier in the season revealed how even modest affordability relief can quickly bring more US buyers forward.
As borrowing costs moved higher again and uncertainty weighed on households, pent-up demand stayed watchful, and better conditions could still unlock more closings.

A survey found near 70% of homeowners felt financially satisfied, versus under 50% of nonhomeowners, suggesting ownership often aligned with stronger money confidence.
Financial strain still showed up: the survey found low-40% of homeowners lived paycheck to paycheck, compared with just over 60% of nonhomeowners.
The bigger advantage came over time, as homeownership was presented as a path to equity growth and broader wealth accumulation beyond monthly budgets.
Research from a Real Estate portal linked buying by age 30 to ~23% higher net worth by age 50, or ~$119K more.
Key caution: stretching too far to buy can squeeze other priorities, since housing costs in the ~30% to 40% range may limit savings.