Cheap Cell Phone Rates

In Friday's consumer and money headlines, for cell phone customers, it's getting cheaper-by-the-minute. And this week's mortgage rates.

Continuing troubles in the beleaguered housing market, but there is one bright spot: mortgage rates -- and Metro Atlanta's home mortgage rates continue to fuel a buyers' market.

For housing in general, the sale of new homes was down again in January, keeping sales at their slowest pace in 13 years. Also down, the price of homes -- down 9 percent in the fourth quarter. In foreclosures, no letup.

Georgia foreclosures are up 28 percent, while nationally, they are up 57 percent. For buyers, that means big inventories, and strong incentives. Add to that, the lowest mortgage rates in decades.

The best Metro Atlanta 30 year fixed rate is now set at 5.875 percent and no points, while in the shorter term, the best 15 year rate is pegged at from 5.375-to-5.50-percent and no points. In the variable rate market, the best 5-and-1 ARM is down this week to from an even 5-to-5.125-percent and no points.

The battle for cheaper minutes and data rates on cell phones is heating up.

Latest in is Sprint Nextel. After posting a $29 billion loss in the fourth quarter, the wireless giant is now offering unlimited voice, web surfing and text messaging for $99 a month. Both Verizon and AT&T have voice only for $100 and say will not match -- at least for now.

Microsoft is now dropping prices on Windows Vista. Timed to coincide with release of its latest service updates, Microsoft will offer discounts ranging from 20-to-nearly 50 percent on boxed versions of the software.