If you’re one of the millions of homeowners and renters who work or run a business from the place you live, here’s some good news on taxes: The Internal Revenue Service wants to make it easier for you to file for deductions on the business-related use of your home. more

Rhode Island’s weak economy and sluggish housing market are not keeping Westerly-based Washington Trust Bancorp Inc. from continuing its momentum of increased earnings, as the parent of The Washington Trust Co. reaped the benefits of its strategic expansion into healthier markets in Massachusetts and Connecticut. more

You’ve probably seen the reverse-mortgage pitchmen at work on your TV screen – former Sen. Fred Thompson and actors Robert Wagner and Henry “Fonzie” Winkler prominent among them – urging seniors to pull cash out of their homes through a loan program guaranteed by the federal government. more

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Lender Processing Services Inc. last week reached a multistate settlement to resolve claims of improper foreclosure practices, including the “robosigning” of documents used to repossess homes, Bloomberg News reported. more

It’s a potential nightmare scenario for homebuyers, sellers and real estate agents: a deal is reached and the property passes a home inspection, but the bank’s appraisal comes in below the contract price. The financing falls through and with it months of effort and hundreds of dollars in closing costs. more

David Splaine, a real estate professional with RE/Max Professionals, East Greenwich, recently earned the Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist designation, which recognizes Splaine’s experience, knowledge and expertise in the luxury home market. Splaine, who has worked in real estate since 2002, specializes in the Kent County and North Kingstown markets. In addition to being a certified luxury home marketing specialist, he is also a certified residential specialist, certified investor property specialist and accredited buyer representative. Splaine holds a bachelor’s of science degree in business administration from Villanova University. more

Despite recent signs of improvement, foreclosures and their lingering effects on families continue to be a crisis in the Ocean State, says HousingWorks RI Executive Director Nellie Gorbea. more

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has a birthday gift for 91-year-old widow Jeanette Ogle that should cause any senior to think twice before signing up for a government-insured reverse mortgage. more

Six years after the start of the foreclosure crisis, American homeowners are paying their mortgages like the housing crash never happened. more

If you buy or own an energy-efficient house, does this make you less likely to default on your mortgage? Is there a connection between the monthly savings on utility costs and the probability that you’ll pay your loan on time? more