Mortgage applications jumped 9.3% last week. Matthew Graham, chief operating officer of Mortgage News Daily, wrote "When rates have been near these three-year lows, we've only seen them dip lower briefly — and usually not by that much. That means locking is never a bad idea at current levels." CNBC has an explanatory article, here.

In continuation of the theme from yesterday's article, a Virginian television station, WAVY, has a short segment on updating a bathroom to accommodate aging homeowners. Replacing the tub with a seat-shower, avoiding trip-hazards, and grab bars placed properly are among the suggested upgrades. Watch, here.

The Wall Street Journal addresses a reader’s question about whether to move in retirement, or remodel their existing home to address the needs of aging inhabitants. The response cites 3 extensive studies to help homeowners live safely and comfortably on their own as they grow older. More, here.

Selena Maranjian has a piece today on The Motley Fool offering tips for mortgage shopping. As we say often in this forum, a mortgage loan is—for most of us—the largest investment we'll ever make. It is always in our best interest to do the requisite research to protect ourselves, and this article has some good points.

Clare Trapasso has a piece on Realtor.com indexing the best cities for young home-buyers. Austin, TX, Charleston, SC, Denver, CO, Minneapolis, MN, Ogden, UT, Portland, OR, Raleigh, NC, Salt Lake City, UT, Seattle, WA, and Washington, DC, complete the top ten. You can read the article, here.