Fifth Third opens new office today near UC

Fifth Third Bank is opening its new office at 132 Calhoun St., University Heights, near the University of Cincinnati campus today at 9:30 a.m.

A satellite of the bank's University Banking Center on East Corry Street, the new office includes four teller lines, an ATM, a night depository and offices for other banking services. The new office is part of the Calhoun Street MarketPlace redevelopment.

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.