Image source: Getty Images. While it doesn't influence our opinions of products, we do receive compensation from partners whose offers appear here. We're on your side, always. See our full advertiser disclosure here. Mortgage rates hit another record low as new purchase home loans soared. Here's a summary of what's been happening in the mortgage world this week. Mortgage Applications Spike After Pausing for the Election After a brief hiatus, demand for new purchase mortgages is up once again. With rates remaining low, that makes sense, but inflated home prices may be a barrier to homeownership. U.S. Mortgage Debt Hits a Record $10 Trillion Climbing debt is usually a bad thing -- unless we're talking about mortgages. The fact that housing debt is up means more people are gaining the stability that comes with homeownership. Buying a Home? Why It Could Pay to Make an Offer Above the Asking Price Offering a seller more money could help you avoid a bidding war. And in today's housing market, that could translate into major savings. The Mortgage Forbearance Rate Has Fallen Again, and That's Good News Borrowers can turn to forbearance to pause their mortgage payments during the pandemic. The fact that fewer are doing so could be a sign that the economy is starting to recover. My Building Is Going Co-op. Should I Buy or Move? Buying in a co-op could be a solid investment. But co-ops can be restrictive, and you'll need to make sure you're in a strong enough position to own a home before diving in. Whether you're looking to buy a new home, refinance, or simply keep up with the housing market, be sure to check out The Ascent's mortgage coverage each week. We're busy gathering all of the top news so you can stay informed. 10 stocks we like better than WalmartWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have an investing tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.* David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the ten best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Walmart wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys. See the 10 stocks Stock Advisor returns as of 2/1/20The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.Source